You Picked Me
by LoveWritingxoxo
Summary: S4 AU Brooke and Lucas are working together on a project and are getting closer everyday. What happens when old feelings resurface? Will someone get hurt in the process of figuring put the Bermuda Love Triangle of Death that's about wake up?
1. Awkward

**Author's notes: **So I've been writing one-shots lately and I felt that maybe it was time to start a full story.

**Disclaimer: **OTH doesn't belong to me, only this slightly better version does :)

**Summary: **Set in S4, after LP starts dating.

**You Picked Me**

**Chapter 1 – Awkward**

"Okay class," began Mr. Smith. "This week you will be working on a Creative Writing Project. Each of you will pair up with a partner, pick a book to read, and put together a project explaining the events in the book."

"Be my partner?" Lucas mouthed, silently to the blonde sitting next to him.

About to accept, Mr. Smith cut her off. "Oh, and I will be picking your partners."

Lucas groaned and shot Peyton an apologetic look.

"Peyton Sawyer, you will be paired with Rachel Gatina."

Almost immediately, Peyton banged her head on her desk. Lucas rubbed his hand on her back in comfort.

"Haley James Scott, your partner will be Bevin Mirskey...Nathan Scott you will have Marvin McFadden."

He continued listing the names of all the students until he got to the last one.

"Brooke Davis, you will be paired with…"

'Not Lucas, not Lucas…' she chanted over and over in her head.

"Lucas Scott." said the teacher finally. There were murmurs heard all around the class. Everyone knew they had once dated, and that he was now dating her best friend...which would make this very awkward.

The bell sounded all throughout the class, signaling lunch time. "Alright, class dismissed!"

"Hey Luke," Haley started. "You gonna be okay?" she asked, glancing in Brooke's direction.

He watched the gorgeous brunette sulk in her seat and complain about something to Rachel, sitting not far from her.

"Yeah." he stated unsurely. "This won't be awkward at all. I'll just talk to her."

Nathan glanced over at a not so pleasant look on Brooke's face. "Good luck."

"Hey, I hear we can switch partners." Peyton tried to come off as nonchalant but Lucas saw through her façade. She was obviously threatened by him and Brooke having to work together.

"I'd happily give Rachel to Brooke."

"Nah, I'll be alright Peyt." he saw the look of desperation that crossed on her face and quickly added, "This won't change anything between us Peyton." He then placed a soft gentle kiss on her lips causing a smile to break out.

He honestly didn't want this to affect his relationship, but at the same time, he was barely upset over working with his ex-girlfriend. This would give them a chance to talk, and if they couldn't be in a relationship together, they could at least be friends.

"You think you've got it bad? I got paired with Bevin!" exclaimed Haley.

Across the room, Brooke Davis sulked in her seat, still refusing to get up.

"I can't believe he paired me with Lucas! Don't teachers listen to gossip?"

"Well at least you don't have to work with the moody bitch over there. I honestly don't know how you two remained friends for so long." Rachel said, flabbergasted that Brooke could have once been close to someone so conniving.

"Yeah well sometimes I wonder that myself."

"Aren't you coming? They're serving pizza today and I know your fat ass will want a slice before they're all gone." Rachel began to rise from where she was sitting, getting ready to walk to the door.

"No." Brooke said in an emotionless tone. "I have to talk to Mr. Smith." she then got up and walked to the front where his desk was.

"If you're here to talk about switching partners, my answer is already no." he said, not looking up from the stack of papers he was grading.

"But Mr. Smith, you don't understand… see, I can't work with Lucas Scott!"

"And why is that, Miss Davis?" he rose from his chair, as if challenging her to give him a close to logical excuse.

But no words escaped her mouth and no thoughts invaded her brain. At least, not any smart ones that would make him switch her partner. She stood there trying to wrack her brain for any coherent explanations.

"Well," he sighed. "If you're done wasting my time, I have to get to the cafeteria. You know they're selling pizza today?" he exclaimed as the heavy set bald man brushed past a couple students.

"Yes, I know." Brooke murmured to his retreating figure. She looked to her left and saw Lucas coming towards, probably in an attempt to strike up an awkward conversation about the project and crack lame jokes to ease the tension. She hurried after Mr. Smith and eventually, squeezed her way through the crowded students in the doorway.

Her goal was to avoid him at all costs until they absolutely had to talk about this project.

* * *

><p>"Hey man...you gonna be alright?"<p>

Lucas laughed. "Yeah thanks for worrying about me Nate, but I'm fine." he paused momentarily. "I'm actually sorta happy to be working with Brooke."

Nathan raised his eyebrows suspiciously at him.

"Not in that sort of way." he said knowing exactly what he was thinking. "I just want a chance to be friends with her."

"What if Brooke's not okay with this? You know her and Peyton are still not talking..."

Lucas looked away, feeling guilty. This was the second time he took part in ruining their friendship. A ten year friendship...to be exact.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you, Rachel!" yelled Brooke. The redhead had the nerve to get the last slice of pizza, only to throw it away and trade it for a salad.<p>

"I told your slow ass to hurry up and get down here before they all run out. Too bad you weren't ahead of me." she stuck her tongue out mockingly, and walked over to their usual lunch table.

Brooke closely followed suit.

"I'm not even mad they ran out!" she continued exasperatedly. "What pisses me off is that you actually got a slice of pizza, only to throw it away and get a salad! I mean you could've saved it for me."

"Oh calm down, slut! Maybe Lucas can relieve your stress tonight when you guys meet up for a quickie." she winked and sat

But Brooke was not even the least bit amused by her comment. "Oh shut up Rach, Lucas and I are not going to hook up tonight!"

"Right…"

"We haven't even made plans to work on the project." she stated matter-of-factly.

"Well, looks like you'll be getting right to it?" she nodded behind Brooke which made her turn around…and there he was. Lucas Scott was making his way over to their table.

"I…uh, gotta go." she muttered quickly before getting to her feet to run.

Lucas met up with her in the hallway.

"Hey, hey. Brooke, Slow down!"

She stopped suddenly but didn't turn around. He quickly caught up to her, afraid she might run off again.

"Hey…"

"Hey." she replied, failing at trying to look enthusiastic.

"Why'd you run off back there?" he asked, studying her facial features.

"Places to be…" she trailed off and didn't even bother to explain since they both knew how ridiculous her excuse sounded.

"So, I was wondering if we could talk for a bit…" he trailed off, shyly.

"We are talking."

"Right." he muttered, a little embarrassed. "I just wanted to ask you whose house should we meet at to work on the project?"

As she was about to answer, a voice from behind cut her off. A voice she knew all too well.

"Well I hope it'll be yours." stated the blonde, looking directly at Lucas. "That way it'll give me a chance to keep an eye on the two of you." she cooed, walking over to Lucas and put her arms around his neck to bring him in for a kiss.

"Peyton, not now…" he muttered, turning his head away in what looked like disgust.

"I thought you didn't mind PDA?" she tried again, but failed once he took her arms off him.

Brooke watched the scene in front of her, unable to stand there and take it any longer. She still couldn't believe that the girl standing in front of her used to be her best friend. She didn't miss the look of mischief cross Peyton's face when she first walked over to Lucas and draped her arms around his neck. And Brooke could've sworn she saw Peyton smirk in her direction.

"You know what? Peyton's right." she stated looking away from the pair. "We can't do it at Rachel's because she hates you…both of you actually. So your house is probably the best."

She bent down to pick up her backpack she had set on the floor. "See you tonight." she mumbles before walking away.

"What time?" she heard Lucas call after her, but she didn't bother looking back. She couldn't stand to be around them any longer before she would've burst into tears. Walking faster than she had intended to, she heard the beginning of an argument start to form.

* * *

><p><strong>Like it?<strong>

**This is just the beginning, I know but I already wrote a couple chapters and I'm beginning to really like this one! **

**Hope you do too, please review...hey, that ryhmed!**


	2. You Know Me Better

**Author's Notes: **First I wanna thank everyone who took the time to comment on the first chapter, and Old Habits will have a sequel, I'm just having a little writer's block with that. Thank you's at the bottom.

**Disclaimer: **OTH doesn't belong to me...sadly because I would love to own SOPHIA BUSH! (total girl crush on her ;D)

**You Picked Me**

**Chapter 2 - You Know Me Better**

Brooke nervously walked up to the Scott/Roe residence. Even though she had been here plenty of times, she had a feeling that tonight would be anything but pleasant...especially with Peyton around.

"Oh, Brooke?" Karen opened the door, surprised to see the brunette. "What a surprise, I haven't seen you in so long!"

She pulled the young girl in for a hug, inviting her into the home.

"It's good to see you too Karen. Is Lucas home?"

"He's in his room...with Peyton." She waited for Brooke's reaction, eyeing her carefully.

"Uh, yeah I know. We're just working on a project."

"Well he's in there, so just go on back." As Brooke began walking, she halted as Karen called out to her.

"Hey, Brooke? I miss having you around here...Don't be a stranger, okay? Come over if you need anything." she pulled the young girl into a long-waited embrace.

"Thank you, Karen" she whispered almost tearfully. The older woman had been like a mom to Brooke and hearing that she still cared about her meant a lot.

"Hey Luke, your mom let me-" she stopped midsentence, startling the two blondes who were basically having sex with their clothes on.

"Oh, hey Brooke!" Peyton said, a fake smile to go along with it. "We were just expecting you..."

Of course, Brooke thought, she did this on purpose.

"Um...ready to start Luke?"

"Yeah, let me just get my books." He shuffled off the bed awkwardly leaving Brooke and Peyton alone.

An silence fell upon the two girls. The two use to be bestfriends. Brooke just took out her phone to play with while Peyton was doodling on some paper, the silence getting to the both of them. Brooke tried to push the tears back as the sight of Lucas and Peyton kept flashing into her mind. She tried desperately to block it out, which only resulted in it getting bigger in her mind. She internally groaned as she wondered why Lucas was taking so long.

She took this time to examine his room. It hadn't changed one bit. Except all the pictures of her and him that used to be on his dresser and nightstand were all gone. This made her cringe with sadness. Then she remembered, she broke up with him. She pushed him to be with Peyton. Why would he still have pictures from an earlier relationship in which he was obviously miserable.

"So, Brooke, how's life?" Peyton began condescendingly.

"Great, how's being a bitch? Must be tiring, right?"

Peyton only glared in response as Brooke smirked triumphantly. Just as Peyton was about to respond, Lucas sauntered into the room.

"Hey..." he eyed the girls expressions. "Everything okay?"

"It's fine. Let's get started." Brooke walked towards the bed and took a seat, pulling out her books.

This was gonna be a long night.

* * *

><p>Rachel moaned as the guy began unbuttoning her shirt. About to pull him in for a kiss, her phone rang unexpectedly. She groaned, annoyed, and reached for it. It was a text from Brooke.<p>

_In hell. Please save me._

Rachel remembered she had her _study date_ with Lucas tonight. With Peyton tagging along. She rolled her eyes, knowing she'd eventually have to save ger green-eyed friend. The guy ripped open her shirt at the same time she was pushing him off.

"Another time, ass."

He pulled her back attaching his lips to her neck, causing her to moan involuntarily. Brooke can wait.

* * *

><p>"What do you think about Steinbeck?" he asked pulling out the all too familiar book.<p>

Brooke smiled at the memory. "Well I think we'll be done pretty fast since we both already read the book."

He smiled, connecting their eyes as he remembered too. At that moment, it felt like they were the only two people in the room.

"What? When'd you guys read that? We just got the assignment!" exclaimed the blonde snapping the two of them out of their daze.

"Forget it, Peyton. Steinbeck's great Luke." she looked away awkwardly, catching herself before she said or did something she'd regret.

After a minute of awkward silence Peyton excused herself to go to the bathroom.

_Where the hell is Rachel? _thought Brooke as she kept glancing down at her phone. She really couldn't take anymore of this. Every idea she came up with, her blonde ex-bestfriend would turn it down as trivial. She'd always butt in when she really wasn't needed. She could've swore she saw Luke get annyoed too.

"Waiting for a call?" his voice interrupted her thoughts.

"No, just checking the time." she cursed herself as her voice came out shaky.

"You know Brooke? I know you may be kinda uncomfortable with this-"

"What makes you think I'm uncomfortable?" she let out defensively.

"Come on Brooke..." he looked at her in disbelief. "We may have only dated for no more than a year, but we were friends before and I still like to think I know you better than anyone else." he said while moving a little closer.

"Oh yeah?" she challenged as he nodded his head. "And what exactly gave you the impression that I was uncomfortable?"

"Well..." he started. "I know for a fact that you like to bite your lip when you're nervous." he moved a little closer, locking eyes with her. It took every fiber in her being for her to not bite her lip at that moment.

She looked away from his stare, not allowing him to read her anymore.

"You never like to look anyone in the eyes if they're making you nervous." he whispered. He dragged his hand up to caress her cheek as she locked eyes with him again. "You get goosebumps..."

She fiddled with her fingers to try and distract her, to no avail.

"You play with your fingers in an attempt to distract you but even you know as much as I do that it never works." Her breath picked up as his stare was drawing her in, unable to look away, unable to see anything else in the room except him. She could feel her heart beat wildly in her chest as she wondered if he could hear it too.

She gulped loudly, his face inches from hers.

"And...I also know..." his hot breath hit her face. "You have a hard time admitting your vulnerability to others anyway. That good enough for you?"

He leaned in a little closer this time, their noses touching. Any closer, just one step closer, and their lips would've touched. Just as he was about to take the next step, his door swung open, both of them jumping back as they turned to meet Rachel standing there smirking at them.

"Uh, did I interupt anything?" She walked over towards Brooke and gave her a knowing look.

"Nope." came the quick reply from the brunette. "I was just getting ready to leave, let's go Rach." Brooke stood up putting her books in her bag with shaky hands. She struggled as she tried to put them all in the bag at once, frustration clear on her features.

"Brooke..." Lucas started.

"I'll see you tomorrow at school." she rushed walking to his side door and out of the house.

They both looked towards the door Brooke walked out of a second ago, then to each other, Rachel speaking first;

"Dude, you are so screwed up." Rachel rolled her eyes then walked out following Brooke.

* * *

><p>Just a few quick thank yous to the people who took the time to review the last chapter:<p>

**BrucasPurpleMonkey**

**dianehermans**

**CaseyJr**

**craxygirl54**

**xXalienatedXx**

**x-gcw-x**

you guys rock...cyber hug! ^.^


	3. Scary World Theory

**Author's Notes: **Chapter 3 is here! Lucas is such an ass.

So do you guys even read these anymore? Sometimes I feel like when I write these little author notes, no one really cares they just skip to the story. So, if you actually read this little bit up here, put "toe nail" in your review, thanks =]

**Disclaimer: **No, I don't own OTH cause if I did I'd beat Chad Michael Murray's ass and Mark Schwann's. Then I'd get a time machine and travel back in time and stop Chad from cheating on Sophia.

**You Picked Me**

**Chapter 3 – Scary World Theory**

Rachel continued to stare at Brooke on their way home. She knew her friend was hiding something because what she walked in on didn't look like studying.

"Anything you wanna tell me?" she began slyly.

"Yeah, Lucas is an ass."

Rachel sighed. "You've been over there muttering that like a crazy person for like, five minutes!"

"So?"

"Come on, Brooke." she began, frustrated that her roommate wouldn't give her any juicy gossip.

"Tell me what happened."

"Nothing happened!" said Brooke almost lifelessly.

Rachel pulled the car over and parked on some random street, before turning to her brunette friend and demanding she spill.

"Rachel…" she sighed out.

"So, you're telling me that it wasn't completely awkward, you and Peyton got along great, and you didn't walk in on them basically having sex?"

She silently cursed Rachel for knowing her so well.

"If I recall, you did send me a text saying, _In hell. Please save me."_

Brooke gave Rachel a stern look and the two got into some kind of stare down of sorts, challenging the other to look away. Brooke finally caved, tired of all the drama in her life.

"He tried to kiss me."

Rachel looked surprised and almost not surprised at the same time. She somehow knew that's what she walked in on but wanted to hear it from Brooke. And actually hearing it come out of the brunette's mouth made it even more real than in her fantasies.

"You're right. Lucas is an ass." She then turned back to start up the car again, and they began driving home.

Brooke sent a small smile to Rachel's side, silently thanking her for dropping the subject. And even though Rachel wasn't looking directly at her, she knew she saw her.

"I thought you were gonna stay to work on your project with Peyton? I could've drove home myself, or walked."

"Peyton's a bitch. And I knew you needed me more." It was times like these where Brooke was really grateful to have someone like Rachel. Sure, she could be a bitch and work her last nerve, but the girl was supportive as hell, especially when it came to Lucas and Peyton.

Of course, Brooke would never tell the redhead this. She probably would laugh in her face if she ever did. But deep down, they both knew what the other meant to them. They just weren't the type to get all lovey-dovey.

The rest of the car ride was silent, both girls lost in their own thoughts. Brooke, thinking about how she would exactly approach the almost-kiss situation with Lucas and Rachel, thinking she might just keep that new guy around. After all, he was such a good fuck; she was willing to make Brooke wait for him.

….

He kept staring at the door his ex-girlfriend had just walked out of. He knew he messed up.

"I'm such an idiot." he kept muttering to himself. He knew he shouldn't have tried to kiss her. He needed to make her comfortable around him so that they could work towards becoming friends. And trying to kiss her was _not _the way to go, especially since his girlfriend was only a few feet away in the bathroom.

Trying to kiss her and making her nervous around him would only push her farther away.

He wondered silently to himself if he still had feelings for her. It had to be impossible, right? He was with Peyton now. The girl he's wanted since…_forever_, his life-long dream. This was what he wanted right?

If so, what possessed him to try and kiss her?

"Lucas!" screeched his blonde girlfriend shaking him out of his thoughts.

"Where the hell is Rachel? I passed her on my way to the bathroom and she said she was here so we could work on our project!"

"She…uh had to take Brooke home."

"Brooke has legs, she couldn't walk?" she said scowling.

"A little harsh Peyt, don't you think?" He said getting up and walking over to his desk.

"No." she responded confidently. "Brooke and I aren't friends anymore."

"Yeah but you were friends at one point, right? Best friends, if I remember correctly."

"Yeah but we can't be friends if I'm dating you." she pointed out.

He opened his mouth to object, to say Brooke was over him when he realized, he wasn't exactly sure if she was.

She hadn't talked to them in months and if she didn't have any feelings left, why push him away?

She didn't exactly pull away when he tried to kiss her and she was in fact, nervous around him.

He suddenly realized his mistake. Brooke told him it was okay to be with Peyton, but he should've seen through her façade. He realized while he was dating Peyton this whole time, she stayed away so she didn't have to see them. It would break her heart if she did.

He ruined a ten year friendship between two wonderful girls, again and…for what? Selfish reasons of course.

Brooke and Peyton couldn't be friends if he and Peyton were dating.

And now he knew why. He guesses he always knew.

"Luke, whatcha thinkin' about?" said Peyton, as seductively as she could.

He looked down at his girlfriend and was suddenly disgusted with himself.

"You of course."

….

"Rachel, what the hell?" Peyton marched right up to Rachel and Brooke the next day, who stood side by side at their lockers.

"Is there something I can do for you? Maybe give you a makeover?" Rachel smirked at the way the blonde fumed.

"Yesterday, you said we were gonna work on the project. Then I come out the bathroom and you're gone!"

"Sorry, I didn't feel like being around a whore." Rachel shrugged turning back to her locker.

"That's funny, considering you're around Brooke all the time." she sneered. She knew how close the redhead and her former best friend had become and she knew Rachel's blood would boil.

She glanced over at Brooke, smirking slightly, noticing how the brunette tried to make it seem like her comment didn't affect her.

But to her and Brooke's surprise, she remained calm.

"Listen bitch…" she hissed, as calmly as she could. "Why don't you drop the act and be real for once."

"Okay." Peyton said sarcastically. "Let's see, you're a slut, I don't like you, but I can't help it that I got paired with you to work on project, so stop bitching and meet me under the bleachers at lunch."

"Not what I meant." Rachel took a step forward making Peyton instantly take a step back. "You walk around here basically dressed like a guy, you don't wear makeup, you had a best friend who – for lack of better words – is the hottest girl in school…that is until I came along." She heard Brooke gasp behind her but she instantly waved her off.

"And, I even heard last year you locked lips with someone of your own kind." Peyton looked at her skeptically before her eyes widened.

"Don't think Brooke didn't tell me about your little fling with lesbian Anna."

Peyton fumed, turning red as she listened to Rachel's false accusations.

"So, what I meant was, drop the act. I've seen you staring at my boobs in the locker room, don't think I don't see you!" she yelled. She tried to stay serious but found it very hard since Peyton was taking this seriously and she was merely joking. She heard Brooke giggle behind her and tried to contain her laughter as well. She, after all, had no proof Peyton was a lesbian, she just enjoyed getting under her skin.

"You should just wear 'dyke' on your shirt for the rest of your life!" she exclaimed, semi-dramatically.

Peyton opened her mouth to protest but Rachel cut her off.

"You steal another girl's boyfriend to try and cover up who you really are, cut your hair to try and feel more like yourself…" she reached her hand out to pick up a strand of blonde hair and tossing it carelessly. "you ask me to meet you under the bleachers – which is a very secluded spot, if I might add – and you spend countless of hours making out with Lucas in the hallway to stop the rumors but we all know your true self Peyton, just show us." with that, Rachel waltzed down the hallway with Brooke by her side as the two friends giggled mercilessly at what just happened.

"Okay seriously Rach, you do know that whole thing with Anna was a misunderstanding, right?"

"Yeah but did you see her face? Getting under her skin is so much fun!"

"I gotta admit it was pretty funny watching you accuse her of something that wasn't even there." Brooke lit up when Rachel bit right back in Peyton's face. Lately, she hasn't been feeling like getting into it with the blonde, or anyone for that matter, so watching her close roommate stand up for her was the highlight of her day.

"Exactly. But on to you, how you holding up?" she tried to come off as nonchalant, but Brooke could obviously see she truly cared. "Have you talked to Lucas ever since the whole almost-kiss thing happened?"

"No, and I don't plan on it- "

"Brooke?"

She turned to find Lucas standing there, smiling like the idiot he was.

"Can we talk?" he turned to Rachel, signaling her to leave but she remained rooted in her spot. "Alone?" he clarified.

Rachel looked to Brooke for approval before she walked off to English. Lucas turned to Brooke once she was out of sight.

"Look, we uh…didn't really get much done the last time we met up so – "

"When do you have free period?" she asked, annoyed he was even talking to her.

"Uh…at 10."

"Good, so do I. I'll meet you in the library." she began to walk off, wanting desperately to get to class when she heard his voice again.

"Brooke!" he called out. "Are we ever gonna talk about what happened?"

"No, we're not." she whirled around. "Because _nothing happened!"_

"Brooke – " he tried but she cut him off.

"Lucas, I have to go." She then walked away before he could object.

Lucas sighed, feeling dejected and went walking in the other direction. He halted when he saw his girlfriend leaned against Brooke's locker.

Peyton looked up noticing her boyfriend talking to Brooke. She suddenly got mad then, she remembered, they do have a project to work on. Seeing Brooke walk away, she instantly pulled a sad face and pinched herself, hard, so the tears would come out.

"Peyton?" he questioned, advancing towards her.

She sniffled and hid her face with her hands.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he soothed, rubbing calm circles on her back.

"Remember Felix and Anna Taggoro? From last year?"

Lucas' blood boiled. And not because that jerk was the reason his girlfriend was upset, but because that had been the year when he was secretly in love with Brooke and Felix ruined every chance he had when he got close to her.

He clenched his jaw just picturing them kissing and their whole 'friends with benefits' deal, but forced himself to nod.

"Well," she continued, pausing to wipe a fake tear away. "You know how she was afraid to come out to her parents as lesbian?"

Lucas nodded again. He remembers correctly because he had been the one to give Anna the push to tell her parents.

"Apparently, Brooke told Rachel about how Anna kissed me and how Felix tried to pin the whole 'dyke' thing on me." she let a few more tears fall in record time, to make it more believable. "And she was saying all these things and…she accused me of actually being a lesbian and Brooke just stood there…laughing, adding in whatever insult she could get."

Peyton, of course, knew Rachel was screwing with her and all the accusations weren't true but, why not use them to her advantage?

He found it hard to believe that Brooke would do something like that. Sure, she could make a grown man cry, but not her best friend. Even if they were fighting, Brooke wouldn't spit out insults at _Peyton _like that.

But then again, Peyton wouldn't lie to him. She couldn't.

Lucas pulled her into a hug and his anger directed toward someone new.

….

"You're late." she muttered. She didn't have to look up to know that he was here, she could feel his presence.

"Yeah, well I had some things to take care of." he responded coldly causing Brooke's head to snap up.

She was about to tell him off for making her wait when she took notice of who was standing behind him.

"What is she doing here? I won't allow her to sit in on every session we have."

Peyton flinched at Brooke's mean tone and cowered behind Lucas. Brooke scoffed when she saw this.

Lucas leaned down across the table. "She's my girlfriend." he hissed. "And after what you did to her, you should be falling at her feet and begging for forgiveness."

"What exactly did I do to your _Precious Peyton?_"

"Don't play dumb, Brooke. She told me what you and Rachel said to her! You know that's a sensitive subject for her, how could you do that?"

He saw people around them start to stare but that was the last thing on his mind.

"Do what?" she exclaimed. It suddenly hit her.

"_And, I even heard last year you locked lips with someone of your own kind."_

"_Don't think Brooke didn't tell me about your little fling with lesbian Anna."_

"_You should just wear 'dyke' on your shirt for the rest of your life."_

Unbelievable.

She knew Peyton wouldn't freak out about that, let alone cry. So why was Lucas mad?

Sensitive subject my ass.

She figured she should've said something, explain herself. But what really did she have to explain? Peyton was a bitch. She had it coming. She probably didn't even tell Lucas that the whole conversation started off with her calling Brooke and Rachel sluts. And even if she did explain herself, why would Lucas believe her? He was so obsessed with Peyton that the rest of the world was invisible to him.

She opened her mouth to speak when suddenly the librarian came over.

"Keep it down." she said sternly. "This is a library, not a concert. If you can't follow the rules, leave."

"Way ahead of you." Brooke murmured as she gathered her stuff together.

She began walking to the entrance when she heard Lucas' voice behind her.

"Oh that's real nice Brooke. Walk away, like you always do when things get a little hard!"

_When destruction takes over_

_There is no escape_

_Every shot on target_

_Perpetrator knows how to strike_

She turned around and stared into his eyes. She knew what he was trying to imply, and the meaning behind his words.

With their gazes still locked, something transpired between them.

She tore her eyes away from his and walked away just as the librarian began to scold Lucas for yelling.

Brooke Davis once again walked away from Lucas Scott, it seemed like that's all she ever did.

….

"So, Bevin…" Haley smiled – a forced one – at the blonde sitting next to her. "What book do you think we should do the project on?"

"Well I totally don't do novels so I was thinking maybe a children's book like…the one that has all the different baby names in it, or the one about the big red dog, man what's his name again? I should totally remember this since it's the same name as my grandpa but my grandpa died when I was five so-"

Haley acquired a headache as she listened to the girl beside her ramble on, switching topics ever five seconds.

"You've never read a real book?" she exclaimed.

"I've had a boyfriend since kindergarten so I've never really had the time. Plus, they make books way too big nowadays. I mean seriously, why can't they just make it like ten pages? I can work with ten pages. Oh!" her eyes lit up like she just got the brightest idea in the world. "Did you know they have books with over two-hundred pages?"

"No way!" Haley responded, the sarcasm clear as crystal.

"Way! I was in the store the other day…"

She trailed off as Haley let her head fall on the table.

Walking by, Nathan spotted his wife in clear need of saving.

"Hey babe." he slid into the chair next to hers.

"Nathan." she marveled and sighed in relief. She turned to Bevin. "Bevin, let's pick this up some other time."

"Whatever." she shrugged and bounced off happily.

"I thought you might need saving."

"Thanks Nathan. God, that girl talks a mile a minute!"

Nathan chuckled at his wife. "So I just heard the best piece of gossip." he said in true Brooke fashion.

"Do tell, Brooke." Haley played along.

"Apparently Brooke and Lucas got into a screaming match in the library. Something about Peyton being a lesbian…"

"What?" Haley turned to her husband truly shocked.

"No, wait…something about Rachel calling Peyton a lesbian." Haley sighed and nodded in understanding. It was typical of Rachel to start trouble. "I heard some girls snickering at their locker about how Rachel told Peyton off, and then told Lucas what happened, and Lucas then approached Brooke about it."

"So much has changed."

Nathan looked at Haley skeptically. "What do you mean?"

"Only a couple months ago Lucas and Brooke were so in love, Brooke hated Rachel, and Brooke and Peyton were best friends. Now? Lucas is dating Peyton and he and Brooke avoid each other, Brooke and Rachel are suddenly best friends, and Brooke hates Peyton now."

Nathan rubbed his wife's back in understanding.

"She barely talks to us either." she whispered sadly.

"Oh come on. Brooke would never shut us out."

"She spends all her time partying, hanging with Rachel, or avoiding Lucas." she pointed out. "She doesn't even come to the apartment anymore."

Nathan sighed and Haley turned in her seat to him.

"I know she probably doesn't mean to because when she sees us, she usually sees Lucas too and her mind probably automatically screams 'Walk away!' but, I don't know, I just feel like she might be mad at us for spending so much time with Lucas and not her."

"Haley, Brooke would never ask you to choose between her and Lucas. She understands Lucas is your friend too."

"Yeah I know but Peyton was the cause of their break-up this time and we still hang out with her."

"Well yeah but – wait, how do you know Peyton was the cause? I thought Brooke stopped loving him?" Nathan asked wondering how his wife got this piece of information.

"You really believed that? I mean, it's kind of obvious since she avoids Peyton like the plague. Kinda makes you wonder what she did, you know?"

Nathan decided to drop it this time and ask Brooke about it later.

"Anyway, Peyton just tags along when Lucas comes. And it's not like we can tell her to leave because then that would cause a rift between you and Lucas." he pointed out.

"I just wish there was more we could do to help her, let her know we're still there for her."

Nathan pulled Haley into a hug and kissed her hair lovingly.

"I'm sure we'll think of something, Hales." he whispered.

….

"Rachel!" Lucas shouted as he walked down the hallway.

Rachel didn't even turn her head – as she recognized his voice – but kept on walking towards her locker. She hated Lucas Scott with a burning passion.

First, for what he did to Brooke. Second, for dating that moody two-faced whore, and third, for making Brooke so depressed.

"Hey! I'm calling you!" he exclaimed as he got more frustrated at her ignorance.

"Hey, I'm ignoring you." she sent a smirk in his direction as she turned the dial to unlock her locker.

He finally caught up with her. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Shouldn't you be asking your girlfriend that? I'm pretty sure you're wondering why she doesn't look more like a girl." she kept her back to him, making his pride build up.

He grabbed her arm and whirled her around to face him.

"That's exactly what I'm here to talk to you about." he sneered.

"Let go you ass!" she pulled her arm from his grip and shoved him backwards. "Who the hell do you think you are? You're lucky I even give you permission to look at me!"

"Don't flatter yourself." he hissed coming in dangerously close to her.

She reached for his neck and flung him backwards. "First of all I have reason to flatter myself. Don't get mad at me because your girlfriend looks like a dude."

"Peyton's not a dude!"

"Never said she was." she shrugged. "I said she looked like one. Think she might be a hermaphrodite?"

"This isn't funny!" he yelled at a smirking Rachel.

"Relax Lucas, I was only screwing with her."

"Well don't! That's a sensitive subject for her. God, I can't believe Brooke even told you, and then teased her about it too!"

"What are you going on about? I'm the one that did all the talking."

He saw that she was genuinely confused and began to actually questioned Peyton's story. But he had no reason to, right? Peyton wouldn't lie to him.

"Peyton said…" Rachel rolled her eyes at the mention of her name.

"You know, maybe if you didn't have your head so far up Peyton's ass, you'd be able to read the signs that are pointing right at you. Maybe if you had a fucking brain, you'd ask around for the truth before coming to me all macho and angry for no fucking reason! Open your damn eyes!" she yelled and with that, walked off and left him standing there…alone with his thoughts.

_It's a real fight_

_It's a war_

Nathan jogged up to Brooke the next day.

"Hey Brooke, you got a sec?" he asked breathlessly.

"Sure Nate. What can I do for you?"

He looked at her as if debating what he was gonna say. "Ok, this maybe kind of awkward and weird for you but I'm just gonna come right out and say it."

"Alright." she said thoroughly confused.

"Why'd you break up with Lucas…truthfully?" he spit out.

He watched as her face switched from many different emotions in two seconds. Sad, angry, hurt, betrayed. Then he watched as all the emotion drained from her face and she was left looking…numb.

"Why would you ask me that?" she began to walk in the direction she came.

He darted out in front of her and blocked her pathway. "Come on, Brooke. I've known you for a really long time. Now we may have drifted apart a bit, but I still consider you one of my closest friends and I do still care about you, a lot." he finished.

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Nathan, please…" she whimpered.

_I've never said you'll have to_

_Be afraid_

_Of the cookie monster_

_Beside your bed_

"Look, I know this might be hard for you but, it's just nothing adds up. You said you just stopped loving him or missing him, yet you give Peyton the cold shoulder and avoid Lucas." he searched out her eyes and waited until she met his gaze. "I'm just trying to understand. I'm worried. Haley's worried. You can trust me, you know that." he stated softly.

Brooke swallowed and took a deep breath.

"You really wanna know the reason?" she asked brokenly.

He gave a slight nod and waited for her to start.

"On the night of yours and Haley's rehearsal dinner, Peyton told me some…_things_."

"What kind of things?"

Brooke swallowed and looked away, the threatening tears beginning to fall.

"Brooke…please." he pleaded.

"She told me still had feelings for Lucas."

She said this so quickly and so softly that even thought he was standing right in front of her, he had to lean in a little closer and strain his ears to hear what she was saying.

"What?"

Brooke sighed and sat down on a nearby bench. "She told me she still had feelings for Lucas." she repeated.

Nathan wore a blank face and sat down next to her.

"Wow…"

He knew his ex-girlfriend could be a bitch but, he never suspected that she would ever sink this low, especially after what happened in junior year. He thought her and Brooke had grown closer after the whole 'cheating' thing blew up in her face.

He was even madder at Lucas for believing her crap and going to Peyton like she was a goddess.

"Yeah…" she muttered. "I broke up with him because –"

"You figured when Peyton confessed her feelings, he'd go running for her again and break your heart." he interjected. "So you broke his before he could break yours."

She nodded, surprised he caught on so fast and looked up to meet his disappointed face. "Can you really blame me, Nate? When she told me this, everything that happened in junior year, all the feelings of betrayal, hurt, and all the insecurities came rushing back. The image of them kissing on that webcam kept flashing before me in my mind."

"Look, sometimes Brooke, you just have to have a little faith in the person you love. They may end up surprising you."

"Do you really think he wouldn't have gone to Peyton if he found out? I mean he eventually did, as you can see…"

"Yeah, because you pushed him towards her."

She stood up abruptly. "Are you really blaming this on me?"

"No I'm not, Brooke." he sighed and gently grabbed her arm, pulling her back onto the bench. "All I'm saying is Peyton is the easy choice. In his brain, there's only one girl for him, really. But, said girl doesn't love him anymore and keeps pushing him away therefore, girl number two is available and willing and off he goes."

"So you're saying he's with Peyton because he can't be with me?" she watched as he nodded, hoping she'd believe his theory. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. He's always wanted Peyton."

"Yeah well I don't think he would've wanted Peyton if you held on a little longer." he suddenly snapped.

She turned towards him, glaring. "Yeah? And what if he did want Peyton, what if he suddenly realized that I wasn't worth it anymore? Do you really think I'd want to suffer through all that pain and heartache again?" she looked at him, daring him to give a coherent answer.

_It's not the real_

_The real one's in your head_

_Beyond control_

_The true one cuts you dead_

"This way is better, easier. And as you can see, he proved me right. He walked away from me – basically saying I wasn't worth it anymore – and went straight into her arms." her voice cracked the end but she refused to show any type of emotion right now other than anger.

He pulled her into a sideways hug, her head on his chest, and they stayed like that for a while until the bell rang. As she got up to leave, she heard Nathan's voice call out to her.

"Did this way save you any heartache?"

Then he walked away, leaving her to stare after him with the question hanging in the air.

_It's not the real_

_The real one's in your head_

**AN: **So... review please, I'll try to update more

Holy shizzles! Did anyone see the new promo for OTH S9? Drama...

and btw, people use internet slang and sometimes idk what it means so can someone be kind and tell me what t.b.c means and OOC?


	4. One Night With You Can Change Everything

**Author's Notes: **(super hero music) Here comes another chapter! Wow! I was so impressed by the amount of responses I got. I know 30 reviews may not seem like a lot to some people, but this is my first **real** story and plus I'm still new to fanfiction so I'm uber excited! Like squealing-little-fan-girl-jumping-out-her-seat excited!

**Disclaimer: **Sadly, I don't own OTH. Wait, why am I sad? I don't want to. Maybe I wanted to in 2006 but now, wamp wamp wammmmmp…

**You Picked Me**

**Chapter 4 – One Night With You Can Change Everything**

Haley and Nathan sat huddled together on their couch watching Titanic, Haley's choice of course.

Nathan tuned out and battled with himself about his earlier conversation with Brooke. He didn't realize things were that bad. He figured, a little too much fighting caused the break up. He didn't realize there were so many secrets and Brooke had been dealing with all of this…alone. He now felt as horrible as Haley did earlier.

He knew he'd have to tell her sooner or later. It's not like he wanted to betray Brooke's trust but…it was Haley.

The girl who Brooke often confided in about her relationship with Lucas when the two girls had lived together senior year.

The girl she comforted when she felt like her and Nathan were falling apart.

The girl she shared multiple ice cream cartons with.

The girl she let live with her when everyone else gave her the cold shoulder.

The girl she knew would never turn her back on her.

Brooke would be okay with this.

"Nathan!" Haley called out for the third time. He looked down at his wife, startled and realized she had been calling him.

"Huh?"

"This is the part where Jack dies and I was asking you if you could get me box of tissues."

He muttered a sorry a sorry and sat her up gently so he could complete her demand when he felt a soft tugging on his shirt.

Haley pulled him back down and paused the movie. "Okay, spit it out. What's bothering you?"

"Why do you assume something's wrong?"

"Nathan, I'm pregnant. It's like a sixth sense or something." He laughed at his wife's imagination.

"I talked to Brooke today."

He shot a glance in her direction and she nodded at him to continue.

"She told me…" he stated. He knew his wife would catch on.

"Well…" she waited impatiently while Nathan continued staring at her. "Nathan this baby feels like a rock on my back, I have very little patience." she threatened. She held up two fingers to paint him a picture so he could see how serious she was.

"It's really bad, Hales…" he sighed out. "I mean really, really bad." he put his face in his hands and began to rub his temples.

Haley began to worry. "Nathan, what's going on? What did Brooke tell you?"

He heaved a big sigh, ready for the wrath of Haley towards Peyton Sawyer. "On the night of our rehearsal dinner, Peyton told Brooke some…things."

"What things?" said Haley angrily, her patience slim to none.

"She told Brooke she still had feelings for Lucas…" he watched as the shocked face on his wife quickly turned to anger, then shock again.

"B-But she only told me they kissed again?"

"Yeah I know about the kiss, Lucas told me. He thought that was the reason for the breakup."

Nathan looked to his wife and saw she was still very much confused by this whole situation.

"This is the way I see it," he started. "Brooke was probably willing to let Peyton's confession go. Sure, when she confessed, Brooke flashbacked to everything that happened last year but as long as Lucas didn't feel the same way, it was all good. And she needed to be sure of that, that he didn't feel the same way although all the insecurities had come again. So everything was almost fine…until she found out about the kiss. I think that was the last straw for her…the kiss. Since Peyton's confession, she needed to be sure that Lucas didn't feel that way anymore. But once she found out they kissed again behind her back, she just lost it. She brings up every wrong thing in their relationship that's she's been holding in. Like him not calling her when he went away, him pushing her away after Keith died, him opening up to Peyton and not her…his girlfriend."

Nathan stopped to take a breath before continuing.

"So, here was the plan. He says it didn't mean anything and that he still loves her but, that's just words. She wanted action. So she lies to him about what the break-up is really about, hoping he'll see through her and fight for her. Obviously, spending every second with Peyton isn't gonna reassure her, only dwindle her hope. She missed him too much, so she makes a desperate move and opts to be friends with him and asks him to the banquet. But she soon realizes, it's awkward and the chemistry isn't there anymore. It's like he isn't even trying. Plus, as soon as she sees how hurt Peyton looks, she feels guilty for some reason but can't figure out what. This girl has been her best friend since she was seven. She may hate her at the moment, but she knows she can never hate her forever, let alone stay with Lucas knowing how Peyton feels. She loves her. She's her…Peyton, you know? So she lets him go. The boy she loves so much, and the girl she sees as a sister, she lets them be together…even if it means hurting herself in the process." he finished.

Haley looked at him astonishingly, unable to believe he made the whole speech without any help.

"I just kinda put two and two together, you know?" he says sheepishly and pulls her into him and nuzzles her neck.

"But, it's so accurate." she breathes out, still in a daze. "That's more than just two and two more like five hundred times seven hundred fifty-two!"

"I asked Peyton why she looked so glum at the banquet and she made up some lame excuse about being tire, which I obviously didn't believe but didn't pester her about it."

Haley raises her head from against her husband's chest to get a clear view of his eyes. "I think I'm gonna talk to Brooke tomorrow."

"Haley…" he hesitates. "Just don't yell at her, or guilt trip her as to why she didn't tell you."

"Fine." she grumbled before the smile returned to her face. "When did you become so smart?"

He kissed her lips lovingly. "Since I married the hottest tutor on the planet." he smirked, catching her lips once more.

Brooke would be okay with this…he hopes.

….

"So…Nathan knows."

"I had to tell him Rachel, he wouldn't drop it. Plus it's not like I could lie to him…I've known since I was practically a baby."

"Whatever." muttered the redhead, dropping a very revealing outfit on the bed. "Just hope he doesn't tell his knocked up wife. You know she's like the mother to all of you…"

"Rachel," Brooke sighed. "When you say 'knocked up', you make it sound like Haley's a slut, they aren't married, and they're just another one of those stupid high school couples who are always at it like rabbits when in fact they are married, in actual love…" she stressed. "…and Nathan was Haley's first."

"Like I care about the _'perfect couple'_." she snarled bitterly. "All I'm saying is that if anyone can make you feel guilty, it's Haley. There's just this thing about her where she knows the right harsh words at the right time. She even made me feel guilty when she came to visit Cooper and I was already in there." she threw some shoes out of her closet before halting, realizing what she just said. "Slightly guilty."

Brooke rolled her eyes at this but remained quiet.

"So, I got invited to this party by this guy I met at the mall." Rachel informed her.

"You told me this like ten minutes ago…"

"Oh you remember that too? I was beginning to wonder why you aren't getting dressed and thought maybe you forgot I told you but now that I know you remember, I figure you're just slow." Rachel retorted. Her tone started off sarcastic and got an edge to it by the end.

Brooke fell back against her bed. "Rachel…" she groaned. "I'm not in the mood to party."

Rachel shook her head. "So then what are you gonna do? Stay home? Eat ice cream? Get fatter?"

"Well I saw earlier that Titanic was coming on at this time. You know I love me some Leonardo DeCaprio!"

"Brooke come on. Curling up on the couch with five cartons of ice cream and crying your eyes out to Jack freezing to death isn't fun."

"Maybe a good cry is what I need right now." she responded softly keeping her gaze on the floor.

Rachel's hard gaze faltered for a moment before she turned to walk to the door. "Damn Lucas for making you so damn depressed." she muttered.

Suddenly, her ringtone filled the room.

_I found you, miss new booty! _it sang out.

"Seriously?" Rachel turned slightly to look at Brooke incredulously.

"What?" she asked innocently, shrugging her shoulders before flipping open the cell phone.

Rachel walked out laughing.

"Hello?" she inquired.

"Hey Brooke, it's me."

She froze for a moment, caught off guard by his voice before regaining her composure.

"What do you want?" she asked bitterly, remembering their last conversation.

She heard him sigh on the other end. "Look we really need to get some work done on this project if we ever want to finish it. We gotta stop putting it off- "

"Well I'm not the one who always acts like an ass every time we try to get some work done!" she snapped.

"Brooke…" he sighed. "Can't we just put our differences aside for one night? I was hoping you could come over…" he trailed off.

She stayed silent, contemplating his offer. Of course she wanted to work on the project. He was just so much of a jerk she could barely stand to look at him. Then again, she of course knew she could stare at his face all day if she wanted. But she didn't have that right anymore.

He sighed, feeling defeated at her lack of response.

"Brooke, I'm really trying here…" he pleaded.

She looked at the time. 9:30.

"You want me to come now?

He smiled into the phone, feeling a little triumphant knowing the tone of her voice that meant she would cave soon. "Well, I'm not doing anything and I assume you aren't either?"

"What about Peyton?"

"She just left…no worries."

"I wasn't worried." she said quickly.

He smiled despite her bad attitude.

"Yeah, you were…" he added in quietly though Brooke didn't hear. He lived for the fact that he could still tell that she cared. He silently prayed to God that is she accepted, for him to not do anything stupid. Here he was, already smiling like an idiot at everything she said. He didn't really think God could help him at this point.

He noticed this feeling seemed familiar and he realized, this was the feeling he had all the time while they were dating. He hasn't felt like this in a while…_and he's missed it._

So, once again, he's wondering if he still has feelings for her. He realizes it's not a mystery anymore; he does still have feelings for her. He doesn't think they ever went away. This whole time he feels like he's been pretending, he feels like a fraud.

She had to wonder what Peyton was doing there so late. Yes she was his girlfriend, but Brooke couldn't help but feel a little jealous still. Peyton should not sill be at his house going on 10 o' clock. At least, not in her eyes. She hadn't even been allowed to stay that late when they were dating because Lucas had a curfew.

"Brooke?" he questioned.

"I'll be there in 10." she mumbled before snapping her phone shut. She silently prayed he didn't hear her but when he texted her eleven minutes later, she gave up on praying. Besides Lucas Scott seemed to catch everything about her…even when they weren't together.

20 minutes later, she found herself walking up the steps to his house. She raised her hand to knock on the door when she felt her phone vibrate. Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved her cell phone and saw she had a new text message.

_Come in through my room door._

She frowns. First of all, how did he even know she was here? Second, she hates using his room door. She always used to use it when they were dating and using it now would just feel too weird now since they weren't close enough for her to be using it all willy-nilly. So instead of cooperating, she decides to be stubborn, as usual.

_No. I want your mom to know I'm here so she doesn't get the wrong idea._

She slams her phone shut and waits on the porch swing for him to respond. Less than a minute later, he does.

_She knows I'm with Peyton and I already told her you were coming. She wanted to wait up for you but fell asleep when you decided to take 20 minutes to get here…_

She winced slightly at the blonde's name and quickly deleted the text so her name wouldn't be on her phone.

She scoffed and hated that he was right. She had taken a long time. But he's the one who called her so late. He's lucky she even accepted to walk over here at night.

She got up from her comfortable seat and was momentarily caught up in the past.

A moment flashed before her eyes. A moment where she would spend the night and the next morning, Lucas would make them both coffee and they would sit out here, wrapped up in each other's arms…just content with no talking, no kissing, just them feeling the other's presence.

She shook the memory from her thoughts as she made her way around the house to his side door. He had it open already, leaning against the door frame, smiling at her.

"What the hell are you smiling about…" she grumbled as she pushed her way past him into his warm room.

"Nothing." he chuckled lightly and turned around to face her, clicking the door shut in the process.

The two stood in an awkward silence for a while, him just watching her, and her looking at anything but him.

"Well." she chirped. "I don't have all night and it's not like I want to stay here anyway so let's get started."

What felt like 10 minutes later, she was surfing the web on his laptop and he was looking through the millions of books on his shelf, both too preoccupied with what they were doing to speak. Although he did send casual glances her way every now and then, a comfortable silence falling over them.

"Whoa Luke, check this out." she beckoned.

Putting down his copy of _The Great Gatsby_ he strode towards her, sitting down beside her on the bed.

"What is it?"

"Well I wikipedia'd that Steinbeck guy– "

"Brooke, you didn't need to do that, I know all about him." he cut in.

"I know but, I wanted to anyway."

He chuckled at her stubbornness. He loved the way she hadn't really changed one bit.

"So yeah, I'm on his Wikipedia page and I see he's got like a million novels! It's so hard to choose just one since he's got so many I mean this guy's like a friggin legend!" she exclaimed.

"Brooke I told you that many times when we were dating…"

"I know but, I never really believed you I mean – one can only have so many novels…" she trailed off, in deep thought.

"So my collection of books over there taking up most of my bookshelf space, that wasn't enough proof for you?" he eyed her playfully.

"Well yeah but…Wikipedia's just so much more reliable than you are." she smirked slightly.

"Well now I am offended." he stated pretending to be hurt and she giggled. He marveled at the sound since it's been a while since he's heard it. She laughed even harder when he pressed a hand to his heart and fell back against the bed.

He sat up slowly. "So if I told you…I don't know, that I like grapes and Wikipedia said Lucas Scott thinks grapes are disgusting, you would believe them over me and never give me grapes?" he pouted.

She chuckled lightly and couldn't help but think how cute he looked.

"Definitely."

"What if I ate a grape right in front of you? And seemed satisfied…no luck?"

"Nope." she concluded. "If Wikipedia says no, than you are a grape hater." She brought her hand to her mouth and giggled into it.

He stopped laughing and just stared at her. It's been a while since they hung out together, let alone laugh together. Usually they couldn't be in the same room without spitting out curse words like there was no tomorrow.

She hears his ceased laughter and turns to face him. He's staring at her as if she's the only thing he sees. The only girl in the world, as cheesy as it may sound.

It's how he used to look at her at the end of junior year and when they were dating.

"What?" she asked softly, not breaking their gaze.

"Nothing…" he whispers, leaning in slightly.

Brooke – recognizing the move – turns her head away, back to the computer screen before she leaned in too.

Lucas caught the move too and sighed getting off the bed and returning to the book shelf. Sometimes, he feels as though he can't control himself around her.

After 20 minutes of complete silence, Lucas couldn't take it anymore.

"Brooke, I'm sorry." he blurted.

Startled by his outburst, she looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Sorry…" he mumbled.

"Lucas, it's fine– "

"No Brooke, it's not!" he suddenly let out. "I shouldn't have tried to kiss you the first time or this time and I shouldn't have acted like an ass earlier today." He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. Looking down at the brunette, he slid next to her on the bed.

"Brooke I'm sorry…for everything." he whispered. "I'm an idiot. I still lo– "

She shot up from the bed, threw his laptop on it before whipping around to face him. She thrust her finger into his face.

"Don't finish that sentence!" she yelled and then began to search for her coat.

"Brooke…" he stared at her pleadingly.

"Do not put me in this situation again." she said shakily as she struggled to put her coat on. She walked towards the door and he felt, as if on impulse, the urge to go after her.

He caught her halfway out the door. "Brooke don't walk away, let's talk about this." he said, dragging her back inside.

"Open the door." she ordered.

"No."

"Damn it, Lucas. There's nothing to talk about. You chose Peyton. That's it! We're done. Simple as that." she said as she tried to maneuver her way past him.

"No, it's not simple as that! There's still so much left unanswered!"

"Well I shouldn't have to give you the answers, if you were a smart boy like you say you are, you'd be able to figure them out yourself." she hissed.

As he was about to respond, his door flung open.

"What is with all the shouting?"

Both teenagers looked towards the door to see none other than a very tired looking Karen standing there.

"Brooke?" she questioned trying to adjust her eyes. "You made it."

"Yeah like…" she looked over at the clock, just noticing how late it had gotten, the bright screen showing 12 midnight. "Oh my god, I've been here for two hours all ready?"

Lucas looked at his mother's disappointed face. "Guess we just lost track of time…" he said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sorry Karen. Guess I better get home." she began walking towards the door again.

"Oh Brooke don't be silly. It's too late for you to be walking the streets at night you can just stay here." she said simply. "You're practically family with all the time you spent here before."

"Mom…" Lucas cut in.

"Oh no, Karen I'm fine– "

"You're staying here." she said sternly. "You can take the guestroom."

Brooke nodded meekly and Lucas just looked around the room awkwardly. Karen eyes the two teenagers she had once seen so in love and wondered what happened.

"Well, I'm just gonna go. Thanks Karen." she leaned in for a hug, which Karen happily met halfway.

"You're gonna need to change into something more comfortable…Lucas?"

His head snapped up at his name.

"Lend Brooke one of your oversized sweatshirts that she can sleep in."

"No, seriously Karen…I'm fine." she said desperately trying to get out of the situation.

"Brooke, I'm not letting you sleep in those clothes, you'll wake up tomorrow morning freezing. Lucas will lend you one of his shirts, that way you'll be more comfortable."

Brooke loved Karen. She honestly did. She was like the mother she never had. But right now, she wishes the older woman would just drop her parental instincts.

After Karen left, Lucas fetched one of his sweatshirts for Brooke. He handed it to her, smiling, since he knew it was her favorite.

She smiled slightly, noticing the "Keith's Auto Body Shop" logo, and felt all happy inside that he remembered.

She silently thanked him, sending him a small smile before leaving which he noticed didn't quite reach her eyes. But could he really blame her? He basically cornered her before and Brooke Davis does not like being cornered.

They both lay in their bed, both thinking about the other.

He thought he'd see her sooner.

It was going on 2:45 a.m. and he knew Brooke hated to sleep alone. He expected her sooner. If only he knew she was going crazy in the guestroom trying to hold out as long as she could.

He soon heard the pitter patter of feet and smiled up at the ceiling. Then came the small knock on his door and followed by the slow creek of his door being opened. She stood in the doorway staring at him as he stared back.

"I just…"

"I know." he beckoned her over.

She climbed under the covers and he felt the sudden urge to bring her in his arms, like he used to. His hands twitched and it took all his strength not to move.

They both lay there staring up at the ceiling, listening to each other's breaths, and stealing shy looks every now and then.

They were both startled by the ringing of Brooke's phone, the 'booty' song blasting through the room. He smiles, remembering the time she picked that as her ringtone.

"Sorry." she whispered quietly, as she got out of the bed and searched around on the floor for her phone.

It was then he realized she was _just wearing his sweatshirt._ This turned him on more than he thought it would. It stopped a little bit past her butt and was short enough for him to get a full view of her thighs.

He figured she would've put her pants back on under it. He was wrong apparently. He found it extremely hard to look away.

She finally found her phone that was somehow thrown under a chair and checked the message.

_Bitch, where the hell are you? You said you were staying home tonight…_

It was obvious Rachel was just now getting home, so instead of texting her back, she put her phone on the dresser and climbed back into bed.

"Who was that?"

"Rachel wondering where I am…"

"Aren't you gonna respond?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want her to get the wrong idea."

"Brooke, you're in the same bed as me, wearing my sweatshirt. Who wouldn't get the wrong idea?" he says chuckling slightly.

"Lucas…" she warned.

"I know."

"Plus, I'd never hear the end of this if I told her. And she'd probably come over here and get me and…" she stopped suddenly.

"What you don't wanna leave?" he questioned.

She stayed quiet at this. They both knew the answer but it's not like she'd ever admit it.

3:00 a.m.

There was silence again.

She slowly crept her hand under the covers to find his. They weren't together but this felt so right. He took it in his open palm, as if he had been waiting for her.

As their skin touched, she almost pulled back at the sensation. It's been so long since she actually felt him and she's missed him, terribly. It's almost painful how good it feels to touch him again. So painful that she actually wants to cry.

He rubs calm circles on her palm and wishes he could pull her into him and never let go. She instinctively moves closer to him. She scoots over so that their elbows are grazing each other's. He thinks it'll end there. It's not until he hears soft sniffling, he looks over at her and realizes she's crying.

He instantly pulls her into his arms, this time without hesitation. She doesn't protest either.

She lays her head on his bare chest, unwilling to move at the warmth of his skin. She sighs into him, missing his smell.

"I'm sorry." he whispers into her hair over and over again.

"This is really painful." she croaks out. She wraps her arms round him tighter, not wanting to let go as he tightens his grip as well. At this point, he has no doubt in his mind that she still loves him. He just needs answers to their break-up. He, of course, didn't believe her excuse...who would?

"We could have been happy…" he feels her tense up but he continues anyway. "W-Why did you have to end it?"

She sighs and sits up. He had to ruin a moment.

"It doesn't matter." she grumbled getting out of the bed. "You ended it way before I did."

He was quick to follow. "Yes it does!" he stressed. When he saw the tears coming faster, he instantly regretted raising his voice. "Brooke please, just talk to me…" he pleaded in a softer tone.

She kept her gaze locked to the floor. "I can't…I just can't." she sobbed out.

He took her face into his hands and wipes her tears away gently. He kept staring at her until she finally looked up at him. They kept their gazes locked, neither one willing to look away and at that moment, he felt it again. The sudden urge to kiss her. So, for the third time, he leaned in again but this time, with the intent on capturing her lips.

She noticed this move, again, but was honestly too drained to care. And she had to admit, she wanted to kiss him too. She leaned in too, not really thinking straight.

Suddenly, his lips were upon hers. At first, they both just stood there, not moving just, tasting each other. Then he began to move his lips against hers, urging her to do the same. Their mouths moved in perfect sync together, as if God had created two mouths that were missing puzzle pieces without each other. The kiss got more fervent, heated but not too much. For it wasn't lust they were feeling…more like _love._

The kind of love that doesn't need words.

It's funny how people thought they were just a high school fling when their love was so much deeper than that.

He moved his hands from her face, down her back to rest on her hips. He pulled her closer if even humanly possible. He felt her hands hesitate, but soon traveled up his broad shoulders to the hair on his head.

Her brain soon caught up with her feelings and she pushed him away, hard.

He finally acquired some sense after she broke them apart and realized what he just did. They just stood there staring at one another…waiting for one to make the first move.

The tears began to fall again but she hardly noticed them since she was still high off his lips.

"You have a girlfriend…" she whispered.

"I don't love her."

"You don't love me either."

He stared at her long, and hard.

He walked towards her. He grabbed her shoulders. "Don't ever question my love for you." he said straining to get the words out.

This made her tears fall harder, "Even when you've given me every reason to?" her voice cracked as she said these words and Lucas felt his heart break a little.

"Brooke, please…"

"I can't be that girl, Lucas. Not the girl you use to cheat on your girlfriend with." she whispered painfully.

"I'm not using you." he protests quickly. She sighs and gets out of his grip to walk to the door.

She stops once her hand is on the handle. "I can't be like Peyton."

"You're not." She gives him a look and he instantly knows what she's talking about. "You're not." he repeats.

"Were you unconscious for what just happened a few minutes ago?"

"Brooke," he paused. "You could never be like Peyton. Even if you tried, you'd come nowhere near close to how she is."

She threw him a hard stare. There he goes again with those poetic words that made her fall for him in the first place.

He sighed, seeing he was getting nowhere. "Look, I know we have a lot to talk about but…" he directed her towards the clock. 3:20 a.m. "…it's late and there's always tomorrow." He realized the irony of his statement seeing that it was already tomorrow.

"Just don't go, please. Come back to bed." he begged somewhat desperately. She nodded solemnly and let him pull her back down on the bed. He rubbed calming circles on her back and let her cry for as long as she needed.

….

"Lucas Scott!" Haley screeched as she walked through his bedroom door. Lucas jumped out of bed but somehow, Brooke stayed sleep.

He looked towards his pregnant best friend and sighed, seeing that she looked pissed.

"Haley!" he whisper shouted. "Brooke's sleeping."

She looked at the brunette, saw her attire and remembered how wrapped up they were when she walked in before turning towards the blonde boy before her.

"You better have a good explanation for this." she demanded before heading to the kitchen. He pulled the covers back over Brooke, threw on a shirt, and followed her.

"Haley…" he breathed out before sitting beside her at the kitchen table where she sat, stuffing her face with ice cream. "Ice cream for breakfast?" he teased.

"Talk, Luke."

He took a big breath before starting.

"We were working on the project, it got late so my mom made her stay the night." he shrugged.

She squinted her eyes at him which he knew meant she didn't believe him. "Why was she wearing your sweatshirt?"

"My mom told me to give her one of my shirts; she didn't want her to wake up cold…"

"And you would be the one to warm her up?" she smirked slightly.

"No." he groaned although he loved the idea. He didn't want to let Haley in on what happened last night.

"So this was all your mom's doing?" she said as she got up to throw the now empty carton of ice cream in the trash. He just nodded in answer to her question.

"Why was she in your room and not the guestroom?"

"You know Brooke hates to sleep alone…" he watched her bite her lip and it seemed like she was contemplating telling him something.

"What's wrong, Hales? Why were you so mad?"

"Because I'm mad at Brooke, and you…and Peyton." she folded her arms over her chest looking like two year old.

"Why?" he questioned. "And what did I do?"

She sighed. "Okay, you know I love Brooke and I'm all for you being happy but…Lucas do you still love her?"

"Haley, I'm with Peyton."

"That doesn't answer my question." He stayed silent as she assumed he would so she continued. "I guess when I saw you two this morning, I just got the idea that you were jumping from girl to girl and you didn't know who your heart really belonged to. I mean, if being with Peyton makes you happy than that's great Luke, but after the new information I found out, I'm not such a big fan of Peyton."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Haley, what do you know?"

"It's not my place to tell you…"

"Haley, if you know some information regarding Brooke then it is your place to tell me." he said sternly.

"She's not your girlfriend anymore. You're with Peyton, remember? Plus I have to talk to Brooke first, wake her up please?"

"She didn't want anyone to know she stayed the night so I think it's best if you wait until you get to school."

"Fine." she huffed before walking to the door.

"Haley," he pleaded.

"It's not my place, Luke. You should hear it from Brooke." she walked out the door and like that, she was gone.

He sighed and walked back to his room to wake Brooke up. He walked in to find her stretching and yawning and couldn't help but notice how cute she looked.

"Hey." he smiled.

"Hey. Was someone here? Thought I heard voices."

"Just Haley." he stated. He saw her content expression turn into one of worry.

"She didn't see me, did she?"

"No." he lied. But he didn't want to get into an argument with her this morning.

He watched her sigh out in relief before asking, "How'd you sleep?"

"Fine." was her short answer response before throwing the covers off and searching for her clothes.

Great, the walls were back up.

"Brooke…" he swallowed.

"I should…um…get going." she stammered sliding on her jeans.

"You can't always run away Brooke. I actually want to talk to you." he sighed out; frustrated that running away was her go to reflex.

She was quick to respond "Well I don't."

"Well I do!" he bellowed causing her to jump in surprise. "Damn it, Brooke." he ran his hand through his slightly disheveled hair. "What happened last night won't just be a distant memory for me. I mean everything I said, even if you don't believe me."

"Things are going to get more complicated than they already are." she came up with.

He shook his head. "I don't care. I need answers and there are things you need to know too."

She nodded. "I'm really busy." she mentally slapped herself for sounding so stupid.

He knew this was a lie, but let it go. "Okay. Just promise me we'll talk soon."

She nodded but didn't utter a single word, and this killed him. Dropping a quick kiss to her forehead, he let her walk out.

She walked as fast as her legs could take her. She couldn't believe all that happened in one night! She needed to clear her head. So many thoughts were swirling around in her head, she felt that her legs would give out at any second.

**AN: **Sorry it's so long! But I was so happy with the reviews. I stayed up till 2 am writing this and I just finished it now. So before you go getting all excited, this is not the start of their relationship, I mean not! There will be lots of Peyton drama and Brooke closing up her heart drama. Also Lucas being an ass drama, lol. And if you read my author's note up there ^ and this one, put "clockwork" in your review! Lots of love for all of you who review! (I rhymed!)


	5. Stealing Happiness

**Author's Notes: **So I'm supposed to be in school right now doing school work right now but I really wanted to post this chapter. Flashbacks are in italics. And thank you craxygirl54 for telling me what t.b.c. and OOC means! I hope you guys like these fast updates because I sure do like writing fast and posting them fast so you guys don't begin to hate me. And I'm sorry for neglecting What Can I Say, maybe I'll update that next.

Song is Stealing Happiness by Gin Wigmore

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing…just this wonderful idea I came up with…not to be cocky or anything.

**You Picked Me**

**Chapter 5 – Stealing Happiness**

Haley James Scott was on a mission: Kill Peyton Sawyer.

Ok maybe, she's a little too nice for that, but she definitely has some words for her. She couldn't believe Peyton, of all people, would do something like that. Sure, Peyton could be a bitch, but never to Brooke. The girl had been so supportive of Brooke and Lucas getting back together at the end of junior year and all throughout senior year. Plus, she had Jake.

_So how could she harbor these feelings for Lucas again? _Haley wondered. _And why did she get with him in such a cunning way? And why doesn't Lucas know anything about what she did?_

Before she could prolong her thoughts, she caught sight of her brunette friend and Rachel talking at a nearby lunch table. She moved as fast as her pregnant belly would let her. She figured talking to Brooke about the matter would be better than bitching to Peyton right away.

Rachel gave Brooke a once over, before widening her eyes slowly. "Where the hell did you sleep last night, bitch?"

"Rachel…"

"You have that guilty look in your eyes,"

Brooke tried to laugh it off. "You're insane,"

"I may be insane but I'm not stupid." She took hold of Brooke's arm, pulling her down on a nearby lunch table. "When I woke up this morning, you were taking off your jeans and getting ready to get in the shower…"

She gave the redhead a look as if to say, _so?_

Rachel let out a deep sigh at Brooke's obvious façade. "You never sleep in jeans Brooke. Especially designer."

Brooke rolled her eyes and stayed quiet, looking down at her hands. She didn't want to let Rachel in on what happened at Lucas' because she would either chastise her for being stupid and letting Lucas seduce her, or tease her about it all day. She needed time to think first, without Rachel's constant badgering in her ear. She looked up at Rachel again and saw that her eyes widened for the second time.

"You stayed at Lucas'!" she exclaimed.

It was Brooke's turn to widen her eyes as she wondered how Rachel caught on so quickly. "I did not!" she quickly denied.

"Yes you did, it's all over your face. Practically written on your forehead." she added as she inspected Brooke's eyes. "Did you sleep with him?"

"No!" she yelled, causing a few heads to turn their way. "Look…" she lowered her voice, not wanting the attention for once. "I didn't stay at Lucas' last night and we did not have sex."

"Where'd you sleep then?" the determined redhead questioned, not ready to give up.

"At Nathan and Haley's."

"Where?"

"On the couch."

"Really?"

"Really."

Before the two girls could continue, Haley suddenly appeared behind Brooke. "Hey guys! Brooke can I talk to –" before she could finish her sentence, Rachel cut her off.

"Haley, where'd you sleep last night?"

Haley gave Rachel a bewildered expression but answered anyway, missing Brooke's eyes pleading for her to shut up. "In my apartment."

"With who?"

"Nathan?"

"And Brooke?"

"No?"

Rachel glared slightly at the brunette sitting before her, suddenly looking very small. Rachel let out a deep breath before standing up, grabbing her bag along with her, and getting ready to leave the two friends alone.

She turned to Brooke. "You're gonna tell me sooner, or later. And when you do, I'm gonna kick your ass for not telling me sooner." she walked away, leaving the two girls alone.

Haley realized Rachel was probably mad at Brooke for not telling her where she spent the night. Although Haley already knew where she slept, she felt slightly hurt as she came to the conclusion that Brooke probably didn't want to tell her either.

"What was that about?"

Brooke was slightly hoping Haley would just go away, and even contemplated telling her that. But she knew she couldn't since there was no real reason to be a bitch to Haley, and that she was super sensitive given the fact that she was pregnant.

"Nothing," she sighed. "How you doing, Hales?"

"Pretty good, but I actually came to ask you that question." Brooke narrowed her eyes at Haley's choice of words and Haley took this as the green light to continue. "I mean…okay. I don't want you to think I'm invading your personal life or getting into something that's not any of my business – which I probably am – but I need to ask you something."

"Okay."

"Well, you know I love you and that you can tell me anything, right?"

Brooke nodded her head at the young mother before her, still bemused as to where this was going. "Haley, what is this about?"

"Nathan told me." she said bluntly. And that's all Brooke needed to know what she was talking about.

Her face hardened. She couldn't believe Nathan would tell Haley, of all people. Haley could keep a secret, but she always believed in doing the right thing. She would tell Brooke that Lucas needed to know, and she would threaten to tell him if Brooke didn't do _the right thing._

Haley was loyal as hell to Lucas. She stuck by him in junior year when he didn't deserve it and she stuck by him again this time, although she knew Brooke was hurting. Even if she didn't show it, she knew Brooke acted cold and insensitive when she was hurt by something.

Haley sensed she was mad, but continued on rambling in front of her.

"I just don't understand why you didn't tell me, I mean, you know I'm here for you and that I'm your friend and I would've supported you…"

"Haley," Brooke tried.

"And I totally would've kicked Peyton's little ass, you know if you told me before I had this huge baby weighing me down. I would've helped you and Lucas get back together and I would've given you some advice, which would be NOT to keep things to yourself…especially things this big…"

"Haley." she said a little more sternly, but nothing was getting through to the rambling blonde girl beside her.

"I mean, don't you think he deserved to know. He was head over heels in love with you and then you act all cold and rude and push him to Peyton which is why you two aren't together right now. I mean, really you only have yourself to blame, Brooke. If you had told me this before, we wouldn't be in this little predicament and–"

"Haley!" she snapped, turning her fiery gaze towards the girl she once shared many secrets with about hers and Lucas' relationship. "I have reasons for doing what I did."

"Not good ones, Brooke." she said softly which only fueled the young brunette's fire.

"You don't know them!" she yelled, now standing up.

"Yes I do." Haley stated in a soft, motherly tone. "And if you had had a little faith in Lucas and yours relationship–"

She laughed bitterly. "Unbelievable!" she exclaimed, now walking around the table. "Everything is my fucking fault, isn't it?"

"Brooke, I wasn't–"

"You know what Haley? Why don't you mind your own goddamn business! If I wanted your help, I would've asked for it."

Haley stared with wide eyes at the girl before her, unable to believe the words coming out of her mouth. She stumbled on her words, trying her hardest not to let the tears fall. "Brooke I was just trying to…"

"Help? Like I said if I needed it, I would've asked for it. But I obviously didn't so while you're going over ways to 'help' me, why don't you consider staying the hell away from me while you're at it." she sneered before turning her back on her. She felt slightly bad as she walked away from Haley considering she was one of her closest friends but it felt like everyone that knew about what Peyton did just wanted to blame everything on her.

Rachel.

"_Well, by default, if you're about to die, or at least bleeding to death I think you get a free kissing pass…" Rachel stated nonchalantly causing Brooke to roll her eyes. "What else did she do?"_

"_Well, she had the nerve to say she'd back off…if I loved him. Can you believe that? She wanted me to declare my love for my own boyfriend."_

"_Why didn't you?" she wondered._

_Brooke stayed silent at this. Rachel wasn't that close to her, and it's not like she'd understand why Brooke had to do what she did._

"_Okay let me get this straight," the red head began. "You don't have feelings for Lucas anymore, Peyton does, yet she's willing to hide those feelings if you ask her to…sounds like a pretty great friend to me."_

_Brooke sighed. Rachel would never understand. There was no point in explaining it to her since she already saw things from Peyton's side._

Nathan.

_"You figured when Peyton confessed her feelings, he'd go running for her again and break your heart. So you broke his before he could break yours."_

_"Can you really blame me, Nate? When she told me this, everything that happened in junior year, all the feelings of betrayal, hurt, and all the insecurities came rushing back. The image of them kissing on that webcam kept flashing before me in my mind."_

_"Look, sometimes Brooke, you just have to have a little faith in the person you love. They may end up surprising you."_

_"Do you really think he wouldn't have gone to Peyton if he found out? I mean he eventually did, as you can see…"_

_"Yeah, because you pushed him _towards_ her."_

And now Haley.

Everything is always her fault.

_"Yeah well I don't think he would've wanted Peyton if you held on a little longer."_

Nathan's words rang in her head. Sure he assured her he wasn't blaming this on her, but it sure felt like it. Like everyone thought she was the one who just gave up when Lucas gave up a long time before her.

She spots Nathan at his locker and walks hastily towards him. Just as she's about to bitch to him for telling Haley, Lucas walks up beside Nathan. She quickly ceases any movement. She's not ready to talk to him yet; she still needs time to process even what happened.

She spots the nearest closet and runs as fast as her little legs can take. She swings open the door, and throws herself in it, tripping on her high heels in the process and falling on a mop.

"Was that Brooke?" Nathan asks, chuckling as he turns towards Lucas.

"Yeah…she's still avoiding me."

"Don't lie. Haley told me she found her in your bed this morning with nothing but your sweatshirt on." he sings the last part with the melody to the old, popular song.

"That song is so old,"

"Don't change the subject." he scolds. He takes notice of Lucas' worried face and calms down his joking. "Relax Lucas, I'm only kidding. Haley told me everything this morning. But, I have a feeling you haven't told her everything."

Lucas sighs. "We kissed."

"What?"

"Yeah…"

"Brooke wouldn't kiss you unless her guard was completely down and she was ready to trust you again, which I know she isn't."

"It wasn't completely down but I think she was feeling a little vulnerable." He throws a sideways glance at his younger brother. "This morning she promised me we'd talk but I have a feeling it won't be any time soon."

_Time means nothing_

_When life means something_

_It's a game we always did play_

Nathan lets out a laugh. "Dude, you are so fucked up."

"What are you talking about, Nate?"

"You kissed another girl while you still have a girlfriend, again! I won't let you play with Brooke's heart like that man." he says warningly.

"I'm not–"

"Or Peyton's for that matter, no matter how much I hate her right now…" he mutters the last part.

"Wait, you too?" he questions. He thinks back to this morning when Haley told him she was mad at Peyton. "Why do you hate Peyton?"

Right as he was about to answer, he got a text from Haley. Lucas watched as Nathan's eyes furrowed.

"The wife bellows." he waves his phone in Lucas' face. He begins to walk away and then stops to turn to Lucas again. "If you're serious about her this time, then be serious about her. She doesn't need you hurting her again…and I won't allow it." he says sternly and before he can protest, Nathan is already walking down the hall.

Lucas sighs, walking in the opposite direction, already feeling like everyone knows this big secret but him.

….

Nathan spots Haley sitting alone on a bench. He notices her shoulders shake from behind and rapidly speeds up his pace to get to her.

"Haley?" And just as he thought, she turns around with a tear-stained face. "Hales, what's wrong?" he slides into the bench, putting his arms around her shaking form.

"I swear Nathan, I didn't yell at her, like you asked me not to." she managed to choke out.

"Haley, what are you talking about?"

It takes her a while to calm her breathing but when she does, Nathan waits patiently for her to open up, rubbing his hands up and down her arms in a, calm, soothing motion.

"Brooke got mad at me…"

He sighs. It must've been pretty bad to leave Haley in tears and he's slightly angry at his brunette friend for adding stress to Haley who really doesn't need it considering her state. Bringing his hand up, he softly wipes away any leftover tears before asking "What happened?"

"I just wanted to talk to her," she turned to meet his soft gaze. "I told her I knew about what Peyton did but I didn't yell at her." she quickly assured.

Nathan squints his eyes, knowing Brooke wouldn't yell at Haley for that. "What did you say, exactly?"

"I just asked her why she didn't tell me and that I would've supported her and…" she stays quiet, trying to go over most of their earlier fight in her head before she remembers exactly all she said during her little ramble and her eyes widen.

"Haley…" he says sternly, recognizing her expression as there was something she did wrong.

"I told her Lucas deserved to know and that it was her fault him and Peyton were together now…"

He sighed again, "Haley…"

"I know, I know, I shouldn't have said that but I was rambling and you know how I get."

"Yes I do know," he says giving her an Eskimo kiss. "It's the curse of the Haley James Scott word vomit!"

She laughs slightly and snuggles closer to him. "Nathan seriously, how do I make this better?"

"Maybe I can talk to her and calm her down, get her to apologize for making my pretty wife cry." he strokes her hair which involuntarily makes her eyes get heavy.

"But I should be the one apologizing,"

"Well after she's calm, you both can talk it out. But you know Brooke, she's so hot headed." She nods in agreement and they sit in comfortable silence for a while. The warning bell rang a long while ago and Nathan soon remembers that they are in fact still in school.

"We should really get to class." he murmurs causing Haley to let out a laugh, realizing she totally forgot about school.

"Yeah you're probably right."

….

Brooke stayed in the janitor's closet for a good 3 periods. By the time she checks her watch, it's already lunch time. She carefully opens the door, and looks down one way of the hallway, cautiously, to see if anyone is there.

"I was wondering when you were gonna come out."

A voice from her left startles her and she jumps just about ten feet in the air before turning to see who spoke. She turns to her left to see just who she thought it would be standing there smiling, like the idiot he was, and curses herself mentally for not seeing this coming.

"I was getting tired of waiting out here, but I knew you'd come out eventually if I was quiet enough."

She sighed tiredly at the blonde boy before her. "What do you want?"

He narrows his eyes at her, turning serious. "You know what I want."

_Tell me why all your good reasons_

_Will fall from the trees on your shoulder_

_Just in faith_

_And I don't have the time_

_But I'll keep you in mind for a day_

_When blood turns to rain_

"No actually Lucas, I don't! One minute you're with me, then you're with Peyton, then you say you love me and that you'd never let me go, and now, guess what? You're. With. Peyton!" she lets out. "So sorry if I don't know what you want..." She turns away to try and clam herself down.

"Brooke I want to talk. And you yelling isn't talking."

"And you think I don't have a right to be mad?" she questions.

He eyes her in disbelief. "What the hell did I even do? I told you I wanted you last night."

"Yeah you always tell me you 'want' me and it's getting pretty old considering all our little flings end with you going back to Peyton. Now I'm questioning whether you just come to me for sex or not." she finishes.

His eyes widen at her accusations. "Brooke I would never…" he brings his hand up to caress her arm but she swats it away.

"Yeah there are a lot of things I thought you would never do."

They stare at each other for a bit, her face glaring, and his with a slightly pained look. He thinks he should've seen this coming. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he thought last night they were at least on the same page.

"You know what? What happened last night was a mistake. I know it, you know it and I'm guessing now Nathan does too?" she nods her head in the direction where he and Nathan were talking and he nods guiltily.

She figured he would've told Haley, not Nathan. As she thinks about it, she never really got the chance to see if Haley actually knew something since she yelled at her not too long ago. Once again she feels bad about that. Haley is one of her closest friends but her loyalty to Lucas overpowers their friendship. She's known Lucas half her life and Brooke for only half a year.

She sighs as he just stands there, squinting at her. He's doing his little broody thing and if she wasn't so mad at him right now, she'd almost think it was adorable.

_And I'll love you tomorrow, _

_but leave the same day_

_It's funny how love works in vain_

_Don't do that, it's not cute anymore…_ she pleads in her mind. She wishes she could just lean up and kiss him; tell him how adorable the little things he did were. But she can't. He's not hers anymore and…_he loves Peyton._

She fidgets, a little uncomfortable with his staring. It amazes her that he can still have this effect on her. "Anyway, you should just stick with Peyton. She loves you and I know you love her too…you've always loved her."

She knows he has. Why else would he always pick Peyton over her? There was no other reason than the simple fact that he loved her, was in love with her. And she _would not _let him break her again. Not again. Twice was already bad enough.

"Brooke–"

"No Lucas, I mean it. Just stay away from me." she goes off on her hunt to look for Nathan again. She can't be his victim. She won't let herself succumb to his demands. She's already broken enough inside and truthfully, her heart can't take anymore. It never really fully recovered from the first time.

_Oh but I won't, wait in silence_

_while you're stealing my happiness away_

_Oh but I won't, be your victim _

_For I've already caught the death train._

….

"So, how was Lucas' bed last night?"

"For the millionth time, I did not sleep at Lucas' house last night!" She glares at Rachel's unfazed look. "How many times do I have to say it before you believe me?"

"Oh you can say it as many times as you want, I'm still not gonna believe you…" she says nonchalantly before taking a forkful of salad, ignoring Brooke's angry stare. When she gets tired of the unwanted attention she finally looks up to meet Brooke's eyes and gets punched in the shoulder.

"Oh come on, Brooke. Where else would you have been? Haley already spilled the beans that you weren't there, I know you wouldn't have stayed with the skanky, blonde bitch, and I know for a fact you were not at our house so the only other person left is Lucas."

Brooke sighs, growing tired of trying to lie to Rachel. The girl was very observant and already knew Brooke like the back of her hand. In the little time they had known each other, they had grown very close. And she already spilled to Rachel everything that happened from junior year to now so, she caught on pretty fast.

Rachel, of course, already knew where Brooke spent the night. She didn't need a confirmation since it was pretty obvious but she just wanted to hear the brunette say it. She knew Brooke denying it was never a good sign. It meant something happened, something bad. They either just kissed or had sex and Brooke was now realizing how stupid she had been to let Lucas take advantage of her. Rachel knew it was either one, and for this she needed a confirmation. She needs to know what happened.

Brooke eyed the pavement, suddenly finding the little crack it had very interesting while Rachel waited for her to snap. She noticed other cracks in the pavement also, all leading to one big crack that spread all throughout the little pavement. She wondered if that's how her heart looked, a bunch of little cracks all around leading up to one big, ginormous crack, smack dab in the middle. She tried to think of all the people who would've put a crack there and make the big crack grow even bigger.

Her parents. One crack.

Lucas. Two cracks.

Peyton. Three cracks.

She looks up and spots Lucas and Peyton laughing at a nearby table, as if nothing happened.

Correction. Lucas and Peyton add up to about a million little cracks in her heart. Every time she sees them, she feels more little cracks getting added to the already fragile heart, and the big crack gets even bigger, deeper every time she sees them.

Rachel sees the look on Brooke's face and knows that she lost her. She looks in the direction she sees Brooke is looking and sees Lucas and Peyton. Whores.

She guesses last night, Lucas – being the idiot he was – promised something to Brooke that he couldn't keep, Brooke pushed him away the next day, and Lucas – being the idiot he was – listened to her demand to stay away from her. God, this boy really is clueless. She looks over at Brooke again and notices the tears beginning to gather in her eyes.

"Brooke," she whispers softly. "Don't do this here…"

Brooke looks up startled, as if she forgot Rachel was there. "Rachel," she lets out brokenly. "I have to tell you something…"

"I'm listening." the redhead responds softly, letting Brooke know she has her undivided attention.

Just as Brooke opens her mouth to spill everything that happened with Lucas last night, someone calls her name.

"Brooke!" Nathan shouts as he spots her and Rachel sitting at a table outside. Rachel releases a defeated sigh. Something always gets in the way.

Nathan finally reaches them and Rachel can't help but feel a little turned on at his sweaty appearance.

"Great timing Nathan." she mutters bitterly as she grabs her stuff and walks away.

"What's up her ass?" he questions, taking the seat Rachel abandoned.

"Who knows? Why are you dripping with sweat?"

"Basketball practice."

She raises a perfectly arched eyebrow. "You were practicing basketball before basketball practice actually starts?" He nods his head in her direction and she lets out a laugh. "I'll never understand why you are so obsessed with that game…"

"Hey, Luke's the same why and I don't see you getting on his case." he defends. It was meant in a playful manner but at the mention of his name, Brooke tensed up and she remembers why she was sad a minute ago. Her head veers back over to where the two blondes are sitting, immersed in each other.

"Sorry," he mumbles when he notices her mood change and his eyes follow her gaze. "He told me what happened Brooke,"

"I know." she replies, keeping her eyes on the two blondes.

He watches them for a moment before responding, "I know he loves you, Brooke. He's just confused and stupid."

She chuckles bitterly. "Yeah well I'm getting real tired of his confusion and stupidity…and FYI, he doesn't love me Nate. He loves Peyton, he always has. Remember? That was one of the reasons you hated him, he was going after your girlfriend."

"Brooke that was before he actually fell in love with you," he states softly. "And if you want to deny it, go right ahead but I will tell you right now that he did love you…" They were silent for a moment before he spoke again. "Brooke just tell him…"

"I can't Nathan!" she snapped. "I'm not gonna ruin what he's always wanted."

"He deserves to know. You can't just decide who he gets to be with."

She begins to gather her stuff, not liking the turn this conversation is taking. "Yeah, you're right. I don't. But I can sure as hell decide whether he gets to be with me or not."

He watches her gather her stuff, prepared to let her walk away before he remembers what he came here for.

"Brooke…Brooke wait!" he darts out in front of her to stop her. "Yesterday I asked you if doing it this way saved you any heartache, remember?" he watches her nod before continuing. "I'm gonna ask you again, did doing this way save you any heartache?" he says softly. "Because from the looks of it, it doesn't look like it did."

She turns her eyes away from his hard gaze to push the tears back. "Lucas and I were drifting farther apart after Keith died. And after Peyton's confession, it was only a matter of time before she told him and he would look at me and realize he's made a mistake." she reaches his gaze again. "Doing it this way hurts less than thinking about what would've happened if I held on longer. He would've dumped me like I meant nothing, like he did in junior year or him and Peyton would've restarted their little affair behind my back."

He eyes her sympathetically and she hates that look because she mistakes it for pity.

"They deserve to be happy Nate–"

"Even if it means hurting yourself in the process?" he says, suddenly frustrated.

"Yeah…" she goes to sit back on the bench and hangs her head. "Even if it means hurting myself in the process."

He sits down next to her and brings her into a hug. "You don't deserve that, Brooke."

They sit there in silence, his arms still wrapped around her and her head on his shoulder. He doesn't want to ask because he doesn't want to ruin the moment, but he told Haley he'd talk to her. And who knew what her pregnancy hormones would make her do if she found out he chickened out.

"Brooke," he started and she sighs because she knows this is the start of another conversation she has a feeling she won't like. "Why'd you yell at Haley?"

She looks at him, surprised he asked that before realizing of course Haley would tell Nathan what happened. She takes a deep breath. "I didn't mean to I was just …frustrated and angry at Rachel and Lucas and…I took it out on Haley."

"I found her crying and you know how sensitive she is now given her current state."

"I know I just– why did you tell her about Peyton?"

"It's Haley."

She sighs and glares at him. "Ever think I would've told her when _I_ was ready, when I wanted to, not you?"

"I'm sorry I didn't think you'd have a problem with it." he mumbles.

"Haley believes in justice and righteousness and crap, and she's really loyal to Lucas. What made you think that I wouldn't have a problem with that?" she demands, slightly frustrated.

"Okay maybe I thought you would but I was hoping you wouldn't," he pressed on. "Look, you know all Haley ever wants to do is help…"

"Yeah, I know that but she's gonna want me to do the right thing, which is tell Lucas."

"I want you to do the right thing too, but I'm still going to keep your secret and let you tell him when you're ready. What makes you so sure Haley won't do the same?"

She shrugs in response, looking like a stubborn child and leans her head back on his broad shoulder. "I really didn't mean to yell at her."

He strokes her hair. "I know you didn't just try to keep the bitchy Brooke in check…" he says playfully causing her to release a laugh and he revels in seeing her smile again.

"I'll try, thanks Nate." she drops a light kiss to his cheek before walking off to head to the gym. "Don't be late for practice!" she yells over her shoulder.

As she walks into the gym, she spots Haley right away, sitting down. She begins to walk toward her, brushing by Peyton in the process, not giving her a second glance. The young soon to be mother looks a little sad as she just sits there and Brooke can't help but think she's the reason for that.

"Hey Tutor Mom…" she says hesitantly.

Haley looks up, a little surprised that Brooke is talking to her considering how mad she got this morning. "Hey Brooke," she responds somewhat awkwardly.

She takes a seat beside her. "Look, I'm really sorry I acted like such a bitch this morning. I know you were just trying to help and you didn't deserve that,"

Haley's face finally breaks out into a smile. "I'm sorry too, Brooke. I didn't mean to make it seem like I was blaming you it's just…you know how I get," she states sheepishly.

"Yeah but, you understand why I don't want to tell Lucas, right?"

"Nathan explained everything. It's still a little fuzzy in some areas but don't worry...I'll keep your secret, even though you know I think he should know."

Brooke nodded. "Yeah I know but, I have my reasons Haley." she turns towards her. "You may not always be able to understand them but they are good ones, trust me."

"I know they are Brooke, you'd never do something for no reason but I think if Lucas knew the truth, he wouldn't have even cast a glance at Peyton in _that_ way."

"You don't know that, he's had a crush on her since like…forever."

Haley shook her head. "Keyword – crush. But he fell in _love _with _you._ That's a big difference Brooke."

"Don't try and persuade me to confess Haley, I'm just not ready…" she chokes out, looking down at her hands, her cheeks turning a bright red.

_And I won't say a word_

_But you know I've been hurt_

_By lines that keep burning my face_

"I understand Brooke." she says calmly as she sees Rachel jogging towards them. "Oh, and I'll also keep your secret about where you spent the night," she states, smirking at Brooke's shocked face.

"How–" before she can get the words out, Rachel is suddenly standing in front of her.

"Hey slutface, Haley has an excuse to sit down during practice but you don't. So get your fat ass up and join the rest of us in stretching." she demands. Rachel is always this way but, Brooke can tell she's a little more pissed at her for not spilling if she spent the night with Lucas or not.

"I'm coming." she snaps, standing up. "Tell the rest of the squad to continue stretching until I get there."

"So fucking lazy…" the redhead mumbles as she walks away. Brooke then turns back to Haley, who's still smiling.

"How the hell did you know where I slept?"

"I walked in on you too this morning." she says in the most obvious way. "I was surprised you didn't wake up when I yelled so loudly."

"I thought I was dreaming," Brooke states, more to herself than to Haley. In her dream, she's the one who screamed 'Lucas Scott!' And it wasn't because she was angry with him…

"_Hey. Was someone here? Thought I heard voices."_

_"Just Haley." _

_"She didn't see me, did she?"_

_"No."_

Stupid Lucas. Always finding a way to lie to her.

"Anyway I–" Haley hastily stopped her sentence, clutching her stomach, making Brooke instantly sweat with concern.

"Haley, what's wrong? Do you want me to get Nathan? Is something wrong with the baby?" she rambled on before she saw the slow smile creep onto the young girl's face. "You're kinda creeping me out here, Hales."

"The baby kicked." Brooke's face lit up at this revelation though she also felt slightly guilty. Haley looked like she was about to pop any second and Brooke had hardly spent any time with Haley and hardly talked about the baby. She never even felt it kick before.

"The baby kicks all the time but every time it happens, it feels like the very first time I felt it."

Brooke marveled at the glow on Haley's face and couldn't help but wonder if this was how she would've felt if she had been pregnant in junior year, or even this year. "Haley that's amazing!"

"He's kicking a lot, and hard. Do you want to feel?"

A nod was the only thing Brooke could make considering she was so excited to be able to feel something that amazing. Haley gradually brought Brooke's shaky hands stomach as her son continued his little game of soccer. Brooke's smile spread wider across her face, if that was even possible.

"Wow…" she uttered, in some sort of a trance.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Haley looked at Brooke's dazed face. "Brooke, do you ever wish it was you that was pregnant?"

The brunette snaps out of her daze, now looking shocked and a little hurt then her face turns blank. "Sometimes," she whispers. "But I wouldn't have wanted Lucas to stay with me out of obligation for the baby and not because I wasn't truly in his heart." She gave Haley a small smile before walking off to join the other cheerleaders.

"Don't ask." she ordered when she took note of Rachel's questioning look.

"You know I'm going to." the redhead muttered and Brooke gave her a look, meaning _later._

She feels Lucas' eyes on her all throughout their stretching, though she doesn't look up.

"Look who can't take his eyes off you." Rachel taunts.

She throws Rachel a hard glare. "Shut the hell up."

They're halfway into the new routine Brooke showed them last week when Peyton walks through the gym doors.

"What the hell?" Rachel states, confused, as she notices the blonde. Brooke feels slightly confused too. She saw Peyton when she walked in. She didn't speak to her, but she did see her.

Peyton finally reaches the group of cheerleaders, takes her _new _spot in the back, and carries on doing the routine like nothing's wrong.

Brooke pauses the song playing. "Peyton, why are you late?"

"Stuff," her blonde ex-best friend mutters, rolling her eyes in the process, causing Brooke's blood to boil.

"Peyton, don't play dumb. I saw you in the gym when I walked in, you were here on time so why the hell are you late?"

Brooke really wasn't in the mood to fight with Peyton. She had been doing way too much fighting with everyone today and she didn't feel like doing anymore. But the bored, nonchalant expression on Peyton's face angered the hell out of Brooke. Would it kill her to act like she cared just a little bit? Sure they weren't friends anymore, but Brooke has known Peyton for close to ten years. You can't just erase all that when boy problems get in the way.

"Why the hell do you care so much?" Peyton retorts with another eye roll and this time, Brooke just snaps.

"You wanna know why the hell I care? Because this is _my _squad! I call the shots, I make the rules, I do everything. I work my ass of making routines for this squad and you think you can just show up here whatever time you want and expect me not to get mad? You be here when I tell you and whatever time I tell you. You don't like that? Be my fucking guest and leave! But don't waste my damn time with your useless presence if you're just gonna show up here late because I've had it up to here with your fucking games!"

She storms out of the gym. Her angry rant caused everyone in the gym to look over at the cheerleaders. She honestly didn't mean to be so loud, but she was so tired of Peyton thinking she could just do whatever she wanted to Brooke and get away with it.

Rachel looks over at Peyton to see the shocked look on her face and snickers lightly. The blonde casts a glance at Lucas and Rachel already knows what she's thinking. "Don't even think about using this to your advantage or I promise you, a bad grade won't be the only thing going on your permanent record."

She walks in the direction Brooke did a second ago. She sees Lucas dart out to follow her and she quickly blocks him.

"Oh no you don't."

He looks at her desperately. "Rachel please, I just want to talk to her…"

"So you can defend Peyton's ass to the fullest and make her hate you even more?"

_Tell me why all your good reasons_

_Will fall from the trees on your shoulder_

He goes to protest, but Whitey's voice startle the two. "Scott!" he screeches, his voice ranging throughout the whole gym.

"Plus, looks like you've got other obligations." she takes off before he can complain.

She catches up with Brooke who's in the parking lot, making her way to her car.

"Brooke!" she calls out and the brunette turns around and sighs out in relief that it's Rachel.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't mean to ruin practice it's just…"

"I know. Peyton can be a stick in the ass." Rachel says so bluntly that it causes a husky laugh to escape Brooke's mouth.

"Yeah she can," she looks at the redhead thankfully. "Look I can't go back in there, can you take over?"

"Of course, you gonna be alright?"

Brooke waves Rachel's worries away. "Yeah, I'm just gonna go to the house…I need some time alone."

"Alright B, don't kill yourself." she jokes and Brooke couldn't help but laugh again.

"Don't worry, I won't" Brooke smiles then gets inside her car and drives off but not home…to the one place where she can drown her sorrows in alcohol and booze.

**AN: **So, anyone catch the little sexual innuendo about Brooke's dream?


	6. Trouble Is A Friend

**Author's Notes: **First update of the new year! Can you believe it took me 32 days? This is long overdue and I apologize. Anyway, I know I said I would update What Can I Say next (you guys probably hate me, I want to bitch slap myself for going back on my word)but I realized that that story is going to be like a sequel to this one or companion fic. You'll see how it all fits soon enough. So I can't update it until I'm done with this story. I already wrote the next few chapters but I realized with it being a sequel, I'd have more information to add and it would get developed better. And I'm very bitter about the fact that when Lucas comes back on OTH, he will only have scenes with Haley and Jamie. Like what the hell Mark? He knows there are a lot of Brucas fans, why would he not give us a scene with them together?

**Disclaimer: **I hate these things, I don't own OTH! Obviously, otherwise S4 would've gone WAYYY differently.

**You Picked Me**

**Chapter 6 – Trouble Is A Friend**

_Trouble he will find you no matter where you go…_

Brooke walked into the familiar club and felt a sense of belonging. It all just seemed so familiar to her. She spots the stool she always used to sit on, the bartender she would always flirt with, the pool table she lured many boys to and beat many boys at. One boy in particular…

She shakes away the thoughts of him and takes her seat at the bar. She reminds herself that she won't think about him tonight as she flags down the bartender and shoots him a flirty smile.

"My usual," she states once he finally reaches her.

"Haven't seen you in a while," he mutters, wiping his hands on a towel and taking in her stimulating outfit for the night. She came here straight from school so she still has her cheerleading outfit on.

Brooke fights the urge not to cringe at the disgusting bartender. Sure she had done this before, but that was the old Brooke. The Brooke she was before she actually fell in love. The girl trying to nurse a broken heart because of her parents and fill the empty void in her life.

And when Lucas filled that void, she cut all ties to alcohol, thinking she didn't need it because she finally had someone who cared about her. Then he let her down and she was back to square one. She remembers the feeling of numbness and the high she would be on after drinking and this pushes her to continue with her plans.

She plasters a fake smile on her face in response, "Yeah but, something tells me you haven't forgot." she replies, still grinning as she watches him make her drink.

A couple of drinks later, her vision's blurry and she can't even think straight. It's been a while since she actually had an alcoholic drink. She used to be able to down about ten drinks a night and not even get tipsy. Now she just feels like a newbie since she's perfectly smashed after having only four strong ones. This is probably what Haley felt like when she told her about the time Nathan first got her drunk and she threw up on Dan.

Her head's resting on the counter and her body's slumped over. She honestly feels like she's gonna pass out any minute.

The bartender spots her lifeless form and walks over to her and taps her shoulder. She raises her head from the bar counter and as soon as she spots him, rolls her eyes, not in the mood to be hit on.

"Hey, I'm a good guy and everything and if you want sex, I'll give you sex." he starts his proposition. "but, if you want me to call someone for you, I'll do that too. I mean you just sitting here, isn't really attracting potential customers."

She can't really formulate a correct response in her head. She can't even remember the name he's told her the many times she's come here. She's trying to decide whether or not to take that as an insult or to just ignore him. She decides to do neither and just wordlessly hands him her purse.

He figures he'll find her phone in there and is correct when he opens it up. He decides to go to her speed dial list, thinking that people usually keep the ones closest to them on speed dial.

He first calls a girl named Rachel. She doesn't pick up so he leaves a message. He then calls a guy named Nathan. He doesn't pick up either, causing him to leave another message. When people pass out at bars like this, bartenders are only allowed to call the maximum of three people in the person's phone. He tries one last final number which is a girl named Haley.

None of them pick up and he realizes he'll be forced to wait the maximum two hours before asking her to leave. He looks at her unresponsive form and actually takes pity on her. Sure she's been around here before and they've flirted a bit but he's always seen how sad she'd look if she followed a guy in the back, or how sometimes she would just sit here, not ordering anything but just looking…sad, or that time he found her crying in a private section in the VIP room. He didn't make his presence known or ever bring it up again because he didn't want her to get embarrassed.

He takes one more look at her before coming to a decision. Hoping his boss doesn't see, he hops over the counter, takes her into his arms and carries her to the back. He puts her in a private room and lays her down on a bed, covering her with blankets also so she won't get cold. He makes sure to lock the door so no one could get in.

….

Nathan walks out of school with Haley by his side. "How was practice?"

She rolls her eyes at the question. "Well, from what I saw on the _bench_," she emphasizes. "pretty good, although Peyton was acting weird."

"Oh yeah what was up with that?" he asks while taking out his phone. "I heard the little tantrum Brooke threw."

"From what I saw, Peyton came late. Brooke got mad." she states simply.

He doesn't respond, just furrows his eyebrows at his cell phone in confusion. "Did Brooke call you?"

She pulls out her cell phone also. "Oh, yeah, she did. She left a message too."

"Same here."

They both stop walking to listen to the message when a man's voice fills their ears.

"_Hey, I'm a bartender down at the Blue Post and your friend Brooke is here and passed out. You're on her speed dial list so…could you come get her? Whenever you get this message…"_

"Brooke." Haley says in alarm. "Nathan we have to get down there now."

The two sprint towards their car in concern, both hoping their brunette friend didn't do anything too stupid. On their way they run into Lucas and Peyton who had just come from his car.

"Hey guys," he calls out. "What's the rush?" he chuckles taking notice of how tired they look.

"It's Brooke." Haley blurts out without thinking.

"Haley." Nathan scolds and Lucas watches as the two get into some sort of whisper argument.

"What about Brooke?" he questions making the couple turn to him. He looks into Haley's deer-caught-in-headlights look and Nathan solemn expression and he suddenly turns serious. "What about Brooke?" he repeats slowly.

Haley swallows and looks at Nathan who just sighs in defeat. "We got a call from a bartender at Blue Post," she begins. "and he told us that Brooke's passed out there."

"Figures…" Peyton snorts under her breath.

"What? Is she okay? Is she hurt–"

"That's what we're going to find out right now." Nathan says, silencing his questions.

Lucas swallows and looks between them. "I'm coming with you." he declares firmly, making no room for argument.

"Luke…" Peyton starts but it's Haley who cuts her off.

"Lucas, I don't think Brooke would be comfortable with having you there." she wonders out loud, just looking out for her friend. "She may be passed out but think of how she'll feel when she wakes up and finds out you saw her like that."

"Why would she care?" Peyton questions making the rest of them look over at her, suddenly aware that she knows nothing of what happened with Lucas and Brooke and what Nathan and Haley found out about her.

Lucas is aware she knows nothing of Brooke spending the night, their kiss, and his attempt to make things better for them.

Haley's aware that Peyton doesn't know she found out about what she did at their rehearsal dinner and that Brooke spent the night at Lucas'.

Nathan is aware that he is the only one that basically knows everything that has happened – the kiss between Brooke and Lucas, and what Peyton did behind all of their backs. He is also aware that Peyton doesn't know about the kiss and that he knows what she did. He knows he has to make a decision seeing that no one is saying anything and to honor Brooke's wishes.

He turns to his wife. "Look Haley, you're pregnant and I don't want you in that kind of environment. Why don't you let Peyton take you home and Lucas and I will go figure out this thing with Brooke."

"Nathan!" she exclaims. "I don't want to go with her." she says in a hushed tone so as not to offend the blonde. She may have hated her right now but she still had manners.

"And Lucas isn't going anywhere." Peyton jumps in. Lucas heaves a big sigh and pulls her off to the side, Nathan doing the same with Haley.

"Look Peyt, I really need to go."

"Why do you care so much about Brooke?" she demands, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.

"Why don't you?" he questions in confusion. He watches as the bored, nonchalant expression she wears falters for a bit and is replaced by one of hurt. And as quickly as it came, in two seconds, it was gone.

"I do but, I don't see why you have to go. I mean, why can't I?"

He states the obvious. "She hates you."

"She hates you too."

"Not as much as she hates you."

"I'm pretty sure it's just as much."

"Look," he sighs out, feeling like they're just going around in circles. "Just trust me, ok?" he says, desperate to get her to oblige. "Take my car and take Haley home and I'll meet you at your house tonight, alright?"

"Fine," she agrees, ready to walk away but not before pulling him in for a kiss. "I love you, Lucas."

He struggles to get the words out of his mouth, knowing that he won't mean them if he says it and that it might show. "Me too." pecking her lips once more, he walk towards Nathan's car before she can stop him.

Nathan glares at him as he's approaching, leaning down to give Haley a light kiss before sending her off to Peyton. He waits until they drive off before turning to Lucas. He stares at him then shakes his head. "You're leading her on, Luke."

"What?"

"Both of them actually, you're leading them both on." he pauses to keep the anger he has for his brother to a minimum. "I mean, you say you love Brooke but you won't leave Peyton."

Lucas sighs and looks away from his brother. "I don't want to hurt her."

"Oh but you don't mind hurting Brooke, right?" he lets out a bitter laugh before jerking the car to a stop. "You know, you seem to make the mistake of considering Peyton's feelings before anyone else's when the girl doesn't even deserve it!"

"What the hell did Peyton even do!" he exclaims, really tired of everyone bashing on her when he doesn't even know what's going on. Everyone around him seems to know something but they just won't tell him.

"What did she do?" Nathan questions in disbelief, unable to understand how Lucas can be so dense. "You mean besides the fact she told Brooke she–"

He cut himself off, remembering Brooke's plea for him not to tell anyone and her reasons why. He sighs out in frustration and slams his fist against the steering wheel. Even though he doesn't agree, he understands her hesitation. And as a good friend, he has to respect that.

"Told Brooke what?"

"Nothing." he responds solemnly, starting the car back up. But Lucas is quick to protest.

"No! I'm tired of everyone doing that. Tell me what the hell is going on with Brooke and Peyton!" he commands, honestly tired of being kept in the dark about certain things. Everyone knows this big secret but no one will tell him anything. He looks at Nathan expectantly.

"She needs to tell you herself." he only grumbles.

He throws his hands up in frustration. "Yeah well Brooke won't even talk to me. Every time I try to talk about us, she runs away." he honestly wondered why Brooke's go to reflex was fleeing every time he wanted to talk about a problem.

Nathan kept quiet and his thoughts drifted back to Brooke at Blue Post. He hopes after all the time they wasted that she's still okay. He hopes that bartender is keeping an eye on her and won't let anyone take advantage of the brunette.

She's like his little sister. They've known each other since they were practically in diapers. They're parents hung out at the same social events – leaving them to fend for themselves and lean on each other – and they grew up together, along with Peyton joining shortly after. Sure, they grew apart in high school, and for that he feels most guilty. He feels like he should've been there for her more and maybe he could've stopped her from sleeping with a lot of guys, or just be there for her more. He feels like he should've protected her more.

"Why do you think she always runs away, huh Lucas?" he shoots him a pensive look before directing his gaze back to the road. "I mean, you've hurt her…more times than I can count on both hands, you're dating the girl she's considered as a sister since she was about seven, plus the fact that you got with said girl less than a month after breaking up with Brooke, you know, the girl you supposedly love–"

"Nathan what are you trying to say?" Lucas questions, fully aware of all his mistakes and not needing Nathan to point them out.

"What am I trying to say…?" Nathan chuckles to himself, unable to believe that the clueless boy sitting beside him is his brother. He guesses he's only book smart because he's definitely not 'Brooke Smart'. He briefly considers stopping the car and throwing him over the bridge they're currently driving on, but he figured that wouldn't sit well with Karen, or Haley…or Brooke. Yes Brooke. Even though she's not admitting it, she still loves him. And he knows if he decided to kill Lucas she'd hate him forever for taking away her one true love.

His thoughts drift back to the passed out brunette in question. He wonders if Rachel knows what her current state is. Those two have gotten pretty close in the last few months and are living together.

"We should call Rachel," he decides after a beat, taking out his phone and dialing the redhead's number. "She would want to know what happened."

….

The ride between Peyton and Haley is awkward, to say the least. And Peyton can't for the life of her figure out why. She's tried cracking wise jokes, but that only earns her a glare from the pregnant tutor beside her. She put on one of her favorite mix CD's and when Haley's song Halo came on, she sent a small smile in her direction and tried to get her to sing along but all she got was an eye roll from her.

She honestly doesn't know what happened between them. They were friends, now she's getting the cold shoulder. She looks over at Haley and notices she's staring blankly outside and sitting tensely in her seat. She figures she'll try one more time to break the tension before demanding the tutor tell her what's up.

"So…" she drags out. "How's being pregnant?"

Haley scoffs and rolls her eyes. "Great." she says with a fake smile. "How's being a bitch?"

Peyton snaps. She stops the car and pulls over to the sidewalk. "Okay Haley, I honestly don't know what stick is up your ass, or maybe it's just your pregnancy hormones, but can you tell me why the hell you've been giving me the cold shoulder since we left because I honestly don't know what I did to you!"

Haley looks in disbelief at the blonde next to her. "What you did to me? It's not me you screwed over."

"It's not you? Haley, I'm honestly confused…"

"Yeah and I hate her for doing this to me!" Haley lets out. "I mean, I want to tell you that I know and I want to bitch you out for what you did but she seems to have her own agenda." she rubs her temples in frustration.

"What I did?"

"Yes Peyton, what you did! You know what you did but I can't tell you I know because she doesn't want to cause anymore drama and ruin your happiness and…GOD! Everything is frustrating…"

"She? She who?" Peyton questions, genuinely confused at Haley. She doesn't know what's got the tutor so hyped up nor does she know what she could've done to make her mad.

Haley sighs and shakes her head. "I can't tell you just…just drive me home." she says quietly and goes back to looking out the window. She looks over at Peyton as she starts up the car again. "What you did was really bad, I mean I thought you were better than that considering what happened last time," she's speaks in a soft tone at the blonde. "I thought you had learned your lesson but, I guess I was wrong."

She turns her attention back to the world outside her window and ignores Peyton for the rest of the ride. She doesn't thank her for the ride when she gets to her and Nathan's apartment, nor does she say good bye.

….

"Brooke!" Rachel yells walking into her house. "Brooke!" she tries, setting her keys down on the table and walking into the kitchen. "Yo skank, I'm home!"

She walks upstairs to their shared room and changes out of her cheer uniform and into a mini jean skirt and a green halter top that ties in the back. She decides she wants to make him jealous tonight. After their fight a couple of days ago she hasn't seen him. Sure she's hooked up with guys but never in front of him and tonight she decides that she's gonna push his buttons a little. But she can't help but wonder where her partner in crime is. She's obviously not here and apparently lied about _needing time alone_. Rachel rolls her eyes at the ridiculous excuse and wonders how she could've fallen for it. "Stupid skank just wanted to skip school…" she mumbles to herself.

She takes out her phone, getting ready to call the missing slut and bitch her out when she notices she has one missed call. "One missed call…Brooke?" she questions to herself and decides to listen to the message.

"_Hey, I'm a bartender down at the Blue Post and your friend Brooke is here passed out. You were on her speed dial list so I'm calling you wondering if you could come get her. She's pretty wasted; probably can't even walk so whenever you get this message…just get here as fast as you can."_

She panics. She knows that voice and she's dreading actually having to talk to him. But this is Brooke. Her Brooke. She needs her and Rachel honestly doesn't know what would happen if she waited any longer.

"Screw it…" she scolds to herself and grabs her keys, dashing out the door.

Damn you, Brooke.

While speeding down the street, way above the speed limit, she gets a call from Nathan. "What?" she answers, not in the mood to talk to anyone, just wanting to get to Brooke as fast as she could.

"Rachel," comes Nathan's rushed voice as he breathes out a sigh of relief upon reaching her. "I got a call from this bartender at the bar, the Blue Post, and he said Brooke's–"

"You got the call too?" she questions, stopping Nathan midsentence. "Are you driving there now?"

"Yeah I am."

"Look, I'm in my way now." she replies while making a swift U-turn and making the cars behind her honk their horns sporadically. She just flips them off. "If you get there before me, find her and don't leave until I get there."

"Nathan, I think you were supposed to turn back there." she hears from over the phone and she recognizes the voice instantly.

"Is that Lucas with you?" she demands.

"Yeah…look, I didn't really have a choice. He wouldn't back off." She hears the regret in Nathan's voice when he replies and probably realizes she's about to scold him for bringing that blonde.

Rachel rolls her eyes at his excuse. "Nathan, I'm pretty sure you're stronger than him. You could've just beaten his scrawny ass." she grumbles into the receiver, then quietly adds, "I know I would like to."

At this, Nathan actually lets out a chuckle. "Thanks for the advice Rach, I'll make sure to use that next time although I'm not too sure it would look good on my record if I went to jail for beating up my brother, plus I love him…somewhat." he glances over at Lucas and chuckles at the confused expression on his face.

"Whatever, do your little brother-bonding-incest moment, I could care less. Just try to hurry up and get to Brooke if I can't get there before you. Traffic's a bitch." she's about to hang up when she hears his voice call out to her.

"Hey Rachel?"

"Yeah?" she replies uninterestedly.

"I'm really worried about her…"

Her hard exterior softens when she hears those words and how concerned he sounds and she contemplates telling him to man up and to stop acting like such a sap and that Brooke will be just fine. But can she really guarantee that? She opts for just being nice right now, figuring it really wouldn't help the situation if she acted like a bitch and since she really is worried about her small brunette friend who doesn't always make the best of decisions.

"Yeah, me too."

….

Lucas and Nathan pull into the Blue Post parking lot and seconds later so does Rachel. "How'd you get here so fast?" Nathan questions walking over to her, watching her stumble out of her jeep and walk hastily towards the club's entrance.

"That's what speeding will do. It'll also make you outrun a cop. Man, he was a fast one!" she reminisces and Lucas looks over towards the parking lot.

"There's Brooke's car…" he states distantly. Nathan and Rachel turn toward the object of Lucas' attention. They all see the brunette's blue beagle parked crookedly in a spot.

"Come on, let's get in there." Rachel says and swings the door open, the two boys following suit.

The three rush into the club and instantly notice it's packed. There are people of all ages making out, dancing, drinking and they even notice a small fight brewing in the corner.

"How are we ever gonna find Brooke in all these people?" Lucas questions, running a hand over his face in frustration. Of course, he could spot the brunette beauty anywhere and easily point her out in a crowd, but he honestly thinks there has to be close to half of the world in here.

"If only we knew the name of the bartender who called…" Nathan trails off while scanning the crowd for Brooke.

Rachel spots him behind the counter and mentally tells herself to suck it up as she walks straight towards him, the two boys following after in confusion. She takes in his appearance as she gets closer and can't help but wonder if a strand of her hair is sticking up or if her shirt's wrinkled. She, very quickly, straightens out her clothes and hair before getting his attention.

"Hey," she calls out nonchalantly, or at least hoping it came out that way. She mentally slaps herself for getting so nervous around him. Rachel Gatina does not get nervous around guys…only this particular one, huh? She wasn't even nervous around Cooper, or any of her other conquests. What makes him so damn special?

He looks up at the sound of her voice and his eyes bulge out of their sockets. "Rach–" he starts, but she cuts him off before he can make it obvious that he knows her.

"You called us about our friend Brooke? We're," she gestures towards all three of them. "on her speed dial list."

"Rachel, how do you know this is the guy?" she hears Nathan whisper behind her but she ignores him.

The bartender breaks out of his momentary shock and watches as Rachel sends him a glare, which probably means _'don't say anything or I'll kill you.' _"Right, right, she's uh…she's this way." He points toward the back and signals for them to follow him.

Before she can take a step to follow, Lucas gently pulls on her arm and turns her around to face them. "Rachel, are you sure this is the bartender?" he questions cautiously, not wanting to get fooled or roped into any tricks right now since his worry for the brunette is taking up half of his brain.

"Why else would he be taking us to see a girl named Brooke?" Rachel questions back while rolling her eyes.

"It could be a trick." Nathan cuts in. "Look, maybe we should–"

"Trust me," Rachel says firmly. "This is the bartender."

Both boys get the feeling that she knows more than she's letting on. Like she knows this particular bartender. But both come to the conclusion that she probably won't say anything to them. And why would she? It's Rachel.

They decide to drop it and they follow her as she walks in the back to where the bartender disappeared to.

They reach the VIP room.

They all look around for the bartender, seeing that he's nowhere to be found. A door opens on their left and his head peeks out. "In here." he whispers to them and motions for them to come over. The trio walks through the door and instantly sees Brooke's lifeless form on one of the couches.

Rachel promptly rushes to her side. "Brooke…" she whispers and swiftly feels the tears well up in her eyes. She curses herself for acting so weak and opts for staring just at Brooke so no one can see her tears. "Has she been here long?" she questions softly, and hopes no one can hear the shake in her voice.

"No," the bartender speaks up. "Just a little over an hour."

"She gonna be okay?" Nathan questions, coming over to Brooke and putting a comforting hand on Rachel, noticing the slight shake in her shoulders.

"Oh yeah. She just had a little too much to drink, she'll be fine." he reassures them, hoping his statement is true.

"And you just kept giving her drinks, I mean…you didn't think you were giving her too much?"

Rachel rolls her eyes at Lucas' ridiculous question, knowing that he made the mistake of sticking his head in his ass when he was worried or concerned. The guy's a bartender. It's his job to give people drinks and watch them drown their sorrows in alcohol and booze and hear the pathetic stories about their effed up life.

"I'm a bartender. I can't exactly say no to a paying customer."

"What about her age? She's not 21 yet." Lucas says accusingly and everyone can clearly see he's mad but also concerned for Brooke. Finding her in this state isn't exactly easy for him and he wonders if he had anything to do with it.

"Yeah, I figured that." the bartender says sheepishly. "But she's always come in with these fake I.D.'s and it's not like I had any proof she was underage. But she's such a regular here that they just stopped checking."

Nathan cuts in before Lucas has the chance to say something stupid again. "Thanks for watching out for her man. No one asked you to, so thanks." he stands up and gives the young bartender a pat on the back.

"I guess it's time to take her home…" Rachel mutters. She turns towards Nathan and Lucas and gives them a scowl. "Well, I can't carry her fat ass out so get your asses over here and help." she snaps.

Lucas walks over and gently lifts the brunette in his arms. Both Nathan and Rachel are skeptical about having Lucas carry Brooke but they figure she's got a while until she wakes up. The two brothers walk out of the little room and Rachel goes to pick up Brooke's purse before going follow them out when he gently pulls on her arm.

"Look, Rachel…I think we should talk."

"There's nothing to talk about now if you'll excuse me, my friend needs me." she tries to maneuver her way around him but he blocks her way.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said last week, I didn't mean–"

"We are not in a relationship." she snaps at him. "We just fuck so you're free to date whoever the hell else you want." she storms past him angrily and out of the VIP section. She leaves him standing there in the middle of the room, knowing she didn't mean a single word she said.

_Trouble is a friend, yes trouble is a friend of mine_

When she gets outside, Nathan and Lucas are already making their way over to his car. She walks over to them but stops abruptly when she realizes what they're about to do. "What the hell are you doing?"

They both turn around to face her. "Hey, what took you so long?" Nathan questions.

"Nothing important." she says quickly and is really glad that Brooke isn't awake, knowing she'd pester her about the bartender until she got answers. "What are you doing?" she repeats.

"Uh, I'm about to put her in my car and take her to my place." Nathan replies as if it's obvious.

"Uh, no you're not. She's coming to my house, she lives there remember." she begins to guide Lucas over to her car when Nathan stops them.

"Rachel, I can keep a better eye on her–"

"You mean like you've done this past year?" she challenges and she watches as his face falls. She knows he regrets not being there for Brooke like he should've been and he wonders how the hell she figured that out. "I'm the one that's been there for her these past few months and she hasn't died yet so I think she'll be fine at my place."

"Rachel." he sighs out. "I would just feel better if she stayed at my house so I can make sure she's okay."

"I don't care what would make you feel better Nathan. I'm not looking out for you, I'm looking out for Brooke."

"I know you're just looking out for Brooke," he says through gritted teeth, trying to keep his anger at a minimum. "But you're not really the responsible type."

"And you are?" the redhead lets out a dry laugh. "Because of your defective protection, your girlfriend's knocked up!"

"Alright Rachel, that's enough!" Lucas cuts in once he sees Nathan fists begin to clench. "Both of you, actually." he notices both of their angry expressions and comes to a conclusion. "Brooke can stay with me."

To his surprise, both of them actually start laughing.

"Good one Lucas." Rachel says in between giggles. "Like that's gonna happen." she stops laughing long enough to see Lucas' expression and sees that he has yet to crack a smile. "Wait, you were serious?"

Nathan stops laughing too and looks at Lucas. "Dude…"

"Nathan you have Haley to worry about, who – need I remind you – is pregnant. Rachel, you have every brand of alcohol that was ever made in your house. I'm the only one who actually has adult supervision in my house."

"Lucas, I don't think that's a good idea." Rachel says cautiously, knowing Brooke wouldn't like that.

"Yeah man." Nathan agrees. "I mean last time she stayed with you, you guys kissed."

"I knew it!" Rachel exclaimed. She had a feeling Brooke stayed with Lucas and that _something_ happened. "That little slut."

"Thanks Nate…" he mutters as Brooke shifts in his arms and snuggles closer to his chest. He smiles softly at this and can't help but notice how peaceful and innocent she looks when she's sleeping. Almost as if she's a little girl with big dreams that has yet to discover this cold, harsh world and hasn't been scarred yet. But he knows Brooke's been scarred. He's placed some there himself.

"Sorry," the raven-haired Scott mutters. "But I don't think it's a good idea for her to stay with you either."

"Look, I'll have my mom watch over her and I won't go anywhere near her, okay?"

"Since when do you ever keep your promises?" Rachel grumbles under her breath as she walks over to Brooke's car, the boys following behind her. "Why don't you drive her car and we can follow you home to make sure she gets in safe." she says turning to Lucas.

Lucas nods and now he sees why Brooke hangs out with Rachel. At first, he didn't understand their friendship, who would? They call each other degrading names and spit insults out at one another every chance they get. Yet, they still hung out together. No one really ever understood why but he sees it now. They genuinely care about each other even if they don't want to admit. Their banter is some form of code for sincerity. And seeing how much Rachel cared about Brooke tonight, he has a newfound respect for her.

"Do you have her keys?" he questions and watches as she gets them out of Brooke's purse and unlock the car. He gently puts her body down in the passenger seat then takes the keys from Rachel and goes around to the trunk. He opens it and gets a blanket out for her. He gently drapes it over her body and watches as she makes herself comfortable in the leather seat. He then walks around to the driver seat and starts the car up.

"I'll see you guys at my place?" he says to Rachel and Nathan and waits until they get into their cars before pulling off.

As he's driving, he wonders how Brooke will react when she wakes up in his room for the second time in less than twenty-four hours.

_Trouble he will find you no matter where you go…_

* * *

><p>Reviews make me tingly!<p> 


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